I use chicken thighs for competitions and this is my method.

Prepare your thighs as you normally would -- i.e. trim, brine, use rub, etc. Do whatever you like to do to prepare and flavour the chicken before cooking.

Set your pellet pit so that your grill temp is 250* (some folks will go 275 to 300*, that may be a little high, but you might find that 250* is a little low, you will have to experiment). 

Place your chicken skin side up on the grill.  Cook for 1 hour.  Take your chicken off.  Put the chicken in a steam tray and pour a little sauce over each piece.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, don't let any steam escape.  Cook for another hour at 250*

Take the chicken off.  You can spoon the juices from the pan over it again or dip in sauce.  I then put back on the grill at about 300* for 5 to 10 minutes.  This should give you bite through skin if that is important to you.

I know this produces attractive thighs.  I've seen photos of your turn-ins.

It also sounds delicious.  I rate thighs very high.

Thanks for the tip, I will give this a try.

Sounds excellent, and simple enough even for me to have success 

For full disclosure, I believe both Trooper and Techmogogy(sp) cook better chicken (nicer look, better skin, moister) than I do.  Maybe one day one of them will share a secret or two!

We make our everyday chicken this way

Having cooked chicken at the 2012 Royal (after practicing all summer) I think chicken is the hardest of the four meats to cook.  Brisket people might argue with that but you have to pay attention to a LOT of details.

Z

This method is very helpful.  Thank you for posting it. 

Question:  How would you describe perfect skin for competition quality chicken?  Getting good skin is my struggle with everyday chicken cooking.  Thanks

I don't think there is perfect comp quality skin.  Mine is bite through, but I often don't like the mouth feel of the skin because it is a bit gelatinous.  But judges seem to want the bite through no matter what.  I have had some chicken (as a CBJ) which was obviously grilled, but it often turns out tough.  Frankly, when we go back to competing, I am thinking of turning in boneless, skinless, grilled breasts.

Good luck with that one, the Judges have convinced us boneless skinless is not appreciated (We cook the chicken skin and bone on then separate and season just before saucing ).

I am thinking of turning in boneless, skinless, grilled breasts.

Good luck with that one, the Judges have convinced us boneless skinless is not appreciated (We cook the chicken skin and bone on then separate and season just before saucing ).

I am thinking of turning in boneless, skinless, grilled breasts.

The best piece of chicken I have ever had in my 85+ comps as a judge was a chicken breast.

Good luck with that one, the Judges have convinced us boneless skinless is not appreciated (We cook the chicken skin and bone on then separate and season just before saucing ).

I am thinking of turning in boneless, skinless, grilled breasts.

I'm not a comp guy, but the only chicken I've made/eaten in 6 months has been boneless skinless thighs.   I don't see myself going back.

DK