Smoked Chicken Verde Burgers

Tender, smoke-kissed chicken thighs finished with a charred, steamed poblano pepper and salsa verde toppings on lightly toasted buns.

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep time: 30–60 minutes
• Cook time: 65–90 minutes
• Rest time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Wood pellets (for the smoker)
• 1 large poblano pepper
• Hamburger buns
• Butter (optional, for buns)
• Salsa verde and other verde toppings

Instructions

1. Prep the chicken: 30–60 minutes before cooking, pat the chicken thighs dry. Season generously with kosher salt on both sides, then season with black pepper and garlic powder. Let them sit at room temperature while you get the grill ready.
2. Preheat the smoker: Fill the pellet hopper with wood pellets and preheat your pellet grill (such as a Weber Searwood) to 225°F. Let it fully come up to temperature.
3. Smoke phase: Put the chicken thighs directly on the grill grates and close the lid. Cook at 225°F for 45–60 minutes. You are not cooking to a specific time here; rather, you are trying to pick up smoke flavor and start rendering fat. Start checking the internal temperature of the chicken around the 45-minute mark.
4. Roast and sear phase: When the thighs reach roughly 155–165°F internal temperature, turn the grill up to 425–450°F and add the poblano pepper to the grill. Cook until the chicken reaches 185°F internal temperature and the poblano is blistered and charred on most sides (expect another 10–20 minutes).
5. Steam the poblano: Remove the poblano from the grill, place it in a bowl, and cover with a plate or foil. Let it steam for 10 minutes. Afterwards, peel most of the black blistered skin off, remove the stem and seeds, and slice the pepper.
6. Rest the chicken & toast buns: Remove the chicken thighs from the grill when they reach 185°F and let them rest for 5 minutes. (Don't worry if some pieces hit 190°F; thighs are very forgiving.) While the chicken is resting, open the buns, lightly butter the cut sides (optional but worth it), and place them cut-side down on the grill at 425–450°F. Toast for 30–90 seconds. Watch them closely, as buns go from perfect to burnt surprisingly fast.
7. Assemble: Slice the chicken thighs across the grain if desired, making sure to save any juices from the cutting board. Assemble the burgers by adding the chicken, sliced poblano, saved juices, and salsa verde toppings onto the toasted buns.

Notes

• Bun toasting preference: For a chicken verde burger, prefer the buns only lightly toasted. You want a little crunch and structure, not a hard crust that fights the tender chicken and roasted poblano.
• Timing sequence flow:
  1. Chicken hits 185°F → pull it.
  2. Poblano comes off → steam it.
  3. Toast buns.
  4. Assemble.
• Notes for next time: Cook longer on the peppers.

Temperature Cheat Sheet