Smoked Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins
When football season rolls around, standard appetizers just aren't going to cut it. These Smoked Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins take a classic game day staple and elevate it with real wood smoke from the offset pit.
By smoking juicy chicken thighs over applewood, deep-frying the potato shells for a shatter-crisp crunch, and bringing them back to the pit to melt a fresh layer of cheese, you get the ultimate balance of crunch, tang, heat, and smoke.
Ingredients
For the Potato Skins:
6 Medium Russet Potatoes (pre-baked and scooped out)
High-heat oil for deep frying
For the Smoked Buffalo Chicken Filling:
1.5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
Cookout Dust (or your favorite poultry BBQ rub)
4 tbsp Butter (for resting the chicken)
½ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce (or to taste)
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 ½ cups Hand-Shredded Cheese (Monterey Jack or Colby Jack)
For Garnish:
Finely sliced green onions
Drizzle of Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing
Step 1: Fire Up the Pit
Fire up your offset smoker and dial it in to 275°F. Toss in a couple of applewood chunks over your lump charcoal bed to build a clean, subtle smoke.
Step 2: Season & Smoke the Chicken Thighs
Season your chicken thighs heavily on all sides with your Cookout Dust. Place them on the smoker grate away from direct heat and let them take in that wood smoke for about 45 minutes (or until the internal temp hits 165°F–175°F).
Once cooked, transfer the thighs into an insulated bowl with 2 tbsp of butter, cover, and let them rest and soak up that liquid gold while you prep the potatoes.
Step 3: Prep & Fry the Potato Skins
Slice your pre-baked potatoes in half length-wise and scoop out the centers, leaving about a ¼-inch potato wall for structure. Drop the hollowed shells into hot oil at 375°F and deep-fry until golden brown and shatteringly crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Step 4: Mix the Smoked Buffalo Chicken Filling
Shred the rested chicken thighs finely. In a large bowl, combine:
Shredded smoked chicken
½ cup Mayonnaise
½ cup Buffalo sauce
½ tsp Garlic powder
1 cup of hand-shredded cheese
Mix until completely creamy and well incorporated.
Step 5: Stuff & Melt on the Smoker
Spoon a generous portion of the buffalo chicken filling into each fried potato skin. Top each skin with the remaining ½ cup of hand-shredded cheese.
Place the loaded potato skins back onto the offset smoker for 10 to 15 minutes—just long enough for that top layer of cheese to become completely melted, gooey, and infused with a touch more smoke.
Step 6: Garnish & Serve
Remove from the pit, hit 'em with fresh green onions and a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese, and serve hot!