Summertime calls for these Smoked Chicken Legs! On the exterior, the chicken is covered with a homemade dry rub, then roasted in aromatic smoke until the interior is juicy and tender. Of course, everyone will want seconds of the smoky, crackly skin, which is loaded with excellent taste.

It’s summer, and you’ll need chicken legs for your lunch! To take these to the next level, cook them on the smoker. These marvelous Smoked Chicken Legs are really tasty and simple to prepare.

They’re smoked after being drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with homemade BBQ seasoning. You could stop there and get incredible results. However, if you really want that thick sweet taste, smother them with BBQ Sauce, smoke them for another 10 minutes, and they’ll be finger-licking good. These are great for digging in and eating with your hands!

For a summer lunch, picnic, or party, make these quick Smoked Drumsticks!

How to Cook Chicken Legs in a Smoker

• Preheat Smoker — Set your smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, as directed by the manufacturer.
• Prepare the chicken legs by drizzling them with olive oil and sprinkling them with BBQ Chicken Rub afterward. Make sure the chicken legs are well coated with the rub.
• Smoke – Set drumsticks on the prepared smoker, shut the lid, and smoke for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the core temperature of chicken legs reaches 175°F. This will vary greatly depending on the size of your drumstick and the amount of meat on it.
• Baste – Drizzle BBQ sauce over the chicken legs. Close the cover and smoke for another 10 minutes. If you don’t want to use BBQ sauce, that’s OK. We want our chicken legs to be between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent any bloody flesh from forming around the bone.
• Rest – Take the meat from the smoker, set it aside for 5-10 minutes, and then eat!

Smoked Chicken Legs FAQs

How long do chicken legs need to smoke?

This will change based on the size and thickness of the chicken leg. It will take between one and one and a half hours to one hour and thirty minutes.

What is the ideal internal temperature for a chicken thigh?

The thickest section of the drumstick should be cooked to 165 degrees F. To keep track of this, ensure you have a computerized meat thermometer or a probe with a built-in thermometer. We really cook them to a temperature of 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re still incredibly soft and juicy, but there aren’t any bleeding areas around the bone this way.

Is it required to brush Smoked Chicken Legs with BBQ sauce?

No, the BBQ sauce isn’t required for smoked chicken legs. They’ll be flavorful enough without the rub, but we enjoy the sticky, sweet touch.

What is the best way to store extras?

Refrigerate any room temperature leftover chicken legs for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

What is the best way to reheat chicken legs?

You could reheat them in the microwave; however, the skin will get leathery, and they may dry up. Set your oven to 400 degrees F as another option. Put the legs on a wire rack over a baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Another alternative is to prepare an Air Fryer to 400°F and bake the chicken legs for about 5 minutes, or until well cooked.

To smoke chicken, what kind of wood chips or pellets are best?

A Mesquite Hardwood would be ideal for achieving a strong smoky taste. However, if you’re looking for a lighter flavor, an Apple Hardwood is the way to go. When uncertain, we turn to a competition blend wood chip.

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BBQ Smoked Chicken Legs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp BBQ Chicken Rub or your favorite seasoning/rub
• ¼ cup BBQ sauce
• 2 lb. chicken legs

Instructions

• Set your smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, as directed by the manufacturer.
• Sprinkle olive oil over the chicken legs, then cover with BBQ Chicken Rub. Make sure the chicken legs are well coated with the rub.
• Place drumsticks on the prepared smoker, cover, and smoke for 1 hour – 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of chicken legs reaches 175°F. This will vary significantly based on the thickness of your drumstick and the amount of flesh on it.
• After that, brush the chicken legs with the BBQ sauce. Close the cover and smoke for another 10 minutes. If you don’t want to use the BBQ sauce, that’s OK. We want our chicken legs to be between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This will minimize any bloody flesh from forming around the bone.
• Take the meat out of the smoker, set it aside for 5-10 minutes, and then eat!

Korean Hot Dogs is a battered and breaded hot dog that is deep-fried in oil in the Korean manner. Tasty, creamy, and crispy, it’s a favorite Korean street food.

Korean Hot Dogs: What Are They?

In Korea, the Korean Hot Dogs, or Korean Corn Dogs are commonly called gamja-hotdog (감자핫도그), is one of the most famous street foods. It might not be as nutritionally balanced as other traditional Korean dishes, but it tastes fantastic.

These corn dogs are a popular street snack in Korea. Deep-fried hot dogs are battered and deep-fried. They’re then delicately dusted with sugar before being topped with your favorite sauces.

Amazingly, the sweet and salty mix works. There are also a few varieties, such as a mozzarella dog that is solely packed with cheese (which is particularly popular on the internet) and others that are encased in potatoes or ramen noodles.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 4 hot dogs

• 9 oz (250g) mozzarella sticks or block mozzarella, cut into sticks

• 10 wooden skewers (or chopsticks)

For the Batter:

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 1 egg

• 3.5 oz (100ml) milk, plus more as needed

For the Topping:

• 1 cup frozen French fries (cubed), or 1 potato, diced and par-cooked

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

For Frying:

• Neutral oil (like canola or vegetable), for deep-frying

For Finishing:

• Sugar, for dusting

• Ketchup, mustard, or your favorite sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Prep the Fillings

• Cut hot dogs and mozzarella into pieces about 3–4 inches long.

• For each skewer, thread on half a hot dog and half a mozzarella stick (or just one or the other if you prefer). Repeat with remaining ingredients.

2. Set Up Toppings

• Spread the panko breadcrumbs and diced fries on separate plates.
  Tip: If using raw potato, blanch or microwave the cubes briefly so they’re just tender, then cool and dry.

3. Make the Batter

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sugar.

• Add the egg and 100ml (3.5 oz) milk. Mix until you get a thick, sticky batter. If it’s too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, until the batter is scoopable but not runny.

4. Batter & Coat

• Pour the batter into a tall glass (this makes dipping easier).

• Pat the skewered hot dog and cheese dry with a paper towel.

• Dip each skewer into the batter, turning to coat completely. Let any excess drip off.

• Immediately roll in panko, diced fries, or a mix—press gently to adhere.

5. Fry

• Heat oil in a deep pan to 160–170°C (320–340°F).

• Fry 2–3 corn dogs at a time for 3–5 minutes, turning to brown all sides, until golden and crisp.

• Remove and drain on a rack or paper towels.

6. Finish & Serve

• Let cool slightly, then dust with sugar for classic Korean flavor.

• Serve hot with ketchup, mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.

Tips:

• For best results, don’t skip the sugar dusting—it’s a street food classic!

• Want extra crunch? Double-coat in panko after battering.

• These are best eaten fresh but can be reheated in the oven for a few minutes to re-crisp.

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Korean Hot Dog vs. Hot dog in the United States

There are four characteristics that distinguish this street cuisine from its conventional American cousin. Sausages aren’t the only thing that can be filled.

Cheese, fish hot dogs, squid, spam, Korean rice cakes, or a combination of these ingredients can be utilized. There is no cornmeal in the batter. Instead, it’s covered with panko breadcrumbs to give it a crunchier texture.

You may also use French fries, cornflakes, or ramen.  It is covered with a coat of sugar after it has been fried to a golden brown. Also, you can make a vegan version of Korean Corn Dog.

Some nations, like the United States, have their own version of the corn dog, but I tend to prefer the Korean recipe. It features more crunch, mozzarella cheese, and a more excellent appearance than a typical corn dog.

What’s on the inside of them?

Sausage, mozzarella cheese, or a mix of the two are used to make Korean corn dogs. This is skewered and then dipped in a layer of toppings before being covered in a sweet flour coating.

Panko breadcrumbs, french fries, cornflakes, and even ramen noodles are popular toppings. After being cooked, the corn dog is wrapped in sugar and dipped in ketchup and mayonnaise!

Is Yeast Required in the Batter?

No. Although I did find a few recipes that called for yeast, and I suspect some of the vendors selling these hot dogs do, I was able to get almost identical results without it. Incorporating yeast into the dough aids in creating an elastic batter, but it also adds to the time it takes to proof and let the dough rise.

Today’s dish is a quick and easy batter that takes around 5 minutes to prepare. It resembles pancake batter, but it’s heavier and stickier. The batter must be thick and sticky in order for it to stay on the hot dogs and not drop off.

Suggestions

Chef’s tip: Refrigerate the cheese until you’re ready to deep fry it, so it keeps its form. Maintain a steady oil temperature so that things cook evenly and don’t absorb too much oil. Or else, you’ll wind up with an undercooked inside. To get a taste of everything at once, divide the stuffing into smaller portions.

Chicken tempura is a local specialty in Japan’s Oita Prefecture, which is part of the Kyushu region. This Chicken Tempura is typically served dipped in karashi mustard ponzu sauce, with a toasty and puffy shell on the exterior and delicious and succulent meat within.

What is Chicken Tempura exactly?

You’re not the only one if you’ve never read about “chicken tempura.” Chicken tempura, I assumed, was a westernized variation of tempura. However,  Chicken Tempura, or Toriten (とり天) in Japanese, was invented at a restaurant in Oita prefecture and is a popular dish largely appreciated in this area.

I have a friend who lived 15 years in Japan and never tried or even heard of Chicken Tempura until I ordered it when I was with him at the Japanese New Mizu Sushi restaurant in New York. After a few months, I recreated the recipe according to the instructions of the most generous chef, and the result is this recipe. 

Chicken tempura is fried chicken in the tempura style, as the name implies. Chicken breast or thigh is chopped into strips, marinated in a combination of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, sake then deep-fried in tempura batter.

The dipping sauce makes a significant distinction between chicken tempura and normal tempura. Tempura chicken is frequently dunked in kabosu ponzu sauce, which is made with Japanese karashi spicy mustard.

Ingredients

For the Marinade (for each large chicken breast, about 125g):

• 1 large chicken breast (about 125g)

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ½ tsp minced ginger

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1–2 tsp sake (optional, or use a splash of dry sherry)

• 3 cups oil (for frying)

For the Tempura Batter:

• ⅓ cup (45g) cake flour

• ⅓ cup (50g) cornstarch or potato starch

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup cold water

Instructions

1. Prep the Chicken:
   Place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until evenly thin, about ½ inch thick.
   Slice into strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.

2. Marinate:
   In a bowl, combine sea salt, black pepper, minced ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sake.
   Add the chicken strips and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the batter.

3. Make the Tempura Batter:
   Fill a large bowl with ice and a bit of cold water—this is to rest your mixing bowl on, keeping the batter extra cold.
   In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, then add the cake flour and cornstarch (or potato starch).
   Gradually mix in the cold water, stirring just until combined. The batter should be cold and a bit lumpy—don’t overmix!

4. Heat the Oil:
   In a deep pan or fryer, heat oil to 350°F (180°C).

5. Coat & Fry the Chicken:
   Working in batches, dip each piece of marinated chicken into the tempura batter, letting any excess drip off.
   Carefully place 2–3 pieces at a time into the hot oil.
   Fry for about 2 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
   Remove to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

6. Serve:
   Enjoy hot with your favorite dipping sauce—like ponzu, sweet chili, or spicy mayo!

Tips:

• Keep the batter very cold for extra light and crispy tempura.

• Don’t overcrowd the pan—fry in batches for best results.

• For extra crunch, double-dip: dredge the chicken lightly in flour before dipping in batter.

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Last words

I really hope you try this Chicken Tempura recipe and let me know how it went down in the comments section. Also, please let me know if you’re having any issues with the recipe or if you have any suggestions. It would mean a lot to me if you shared it on your Pinterest or other social media platform you are using and get the word out about this recipe. Thank you 🙂