How To Smoke A Chicken

Once you learn how to smoke a chicken, you will never want to make it any other way. Perfectly cooked chicken that is tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Even those who typically only eat the meat will want to take a bite into the crunchy and delicious skin. That is because it gains so much flavor from the dry rub and it also absorbs the smoke as it cooks.

Although a whole chicken is sometimes difficult to cook resulting in meat that turns out tough and dry, this is an easy, fail-proof recipe. In fact by following a few simple steps even a beginner can master the art of smoking a whole chicken in no time!

However, as easy as it is there are a few key tips to follow to ensure that the chicken turns out perfect every time. And after you get comfortable following these basic steps, you will be able to experiment with various dry rubs and smoking with different types of wood to give the chicken it’s own unique flavor.

What Type of Smoker To Use

There are so many types of smokers on the market, so you may be wondering which one to use. Fortunately, you can use any make or model to smoke a chicken.

However some require less monitoring than others. For instance, my Z-Grills Pellet Grill allows me to set the temperature and requires no monitoring to make sure it remains at that temperature.

It also allows me to fill it with wood pellets without the worry of it running out during the cooking process. This is a huge advantage over my electric smoker. Although it will maintain the desired temperature, I have to refill my electric smoker with wood chips when cooking for long periods of time.

Then of course there are ceramic Kamado Grills like the Big Green Egg. Although they take some time to get to the right temperature using a 2 vent system, they will maintain the temperature for hours.

You can even use a barrel smoker or your backyard gas grill to smoke a chicken. Although the process is different for each one, as long as you cook the chicken low and slow it will turn out perfect every time.

What Type of Wood To Use To Smoke A Whole Chicken

When it comes to smoking any type of meat, I always get asked what type of wood that is best to use. There are so many different options when it comes to picking a bag of wood or pellets from the store.

Some of the most common types of wood used for smoking are Hickory, Mesquite, Pecan & Apple. However you can also find various blends that combines flavors for a more complex taste.

But when it comes to smoking a chicken for the first time, I highly suggest using apple wood. It will give the meat more of a mild taste, rather than giving it a bold taste of highly smoked meat.

Then after you taste the chicken, you can decide if you want to step up the flavor profile a little more the next time.

To Soak or Not Soak The Wood Before Smoking

If you ask 10 different pit masters about their opinion on soaking wood before smoking, you are likely going to get 10 different answers.

Some brands of wood chips suggest soaking them in water before adding them to your smoker. However, I recommend you soak them based on the expected cook time required for whatever you are making.

For instance, if you are going to be smoking a large brisket for 12-14 hours, letting your wood chips soak will slow the burning process down a bit. This will allow the smoke to linger a little longer than if you put in dry chips.

Think about when you go to start an outdoor fire. If your wood is wet, it will provide a lot more smoke than if you used dry, seasoned wood.

However, when you have a meat that requires less time in the smoker, I suggest not soaking the wood at all. This way the wood can burn immediately and provide the smoke into the meat in a short amount of time.

However, soaking isn’t an option at all for smokers that use lump charcoal or pellets. Simply add the wood to the smoker and let it burn.

Do I Have To Brine A Whole Chicken Before Smoking

Brining is a process where meat is submerged in water that has been mixed with salt, sugar & spices. The salt water penetrates into the meat, making it more tender.

Although the preferred method on how to smoke a whole chicken is to brine the chicken overnight, this isn’t absolutely necessary. You can still get great tasting smoked chicken without brining.

Sometimes the decision to smoke a chicken comes at the last minute. Therefore, there is no time to brine a chicken overnight.

However, if you do have a couple extra hours, brining even for an hour or two will help the meat be extra tender. Simply mix together 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar per gallon of water and completely submerge the chicken in the liquid.

When you are ready to smoke the chicken, pull it out of the brine and rinse it off. Then use paper towels to completely pat the chicken dry on both the inside and out.

Now it is time to add the dry rub to the outer surface of the chicken.

What Type of Dry Rub To Use When Smoking A Chicken

When it comes to adding flavor to the skin of the chicken, there are so many options that you can use. You can purchase several pre-made dry rubs that highlight a certain flavor. In fact, some of your favorite barbecue restaurants may even offer their special seasoning for sale.

Jack Stack Barbecue offers their special poultry blend of seasoning. And Buffalo Wild Wings offers their Barbecue Dry Rub seasoning as well.

However, it is very easy to make your own dry rub seasoning with a few spices in your kitchen. Here is how I make the dry rub before I smoke a whole chicken or Smoke A Spatchcocked Chicken:

• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
• 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and you can use the rub for your chicken or any type of meat.

How To Smoke A Whole Chicken

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken, approximately 5 pounds
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Favorite Dry Rub (or homemade with recipe above)

INSTRUCTIONS

Before you smoke a whole chicken determine if you have time to brine the chicken. It is best to do overnight, but 1-2 hours in the brine will make it more tender.

If you have the time, place 1 gallon of water in a large container. Then add 1/2 cup each of salt and sugar and stir until dissolved. Place the chicken down in the liquid, making sure the entire chicken is submerged.

If you don’t have enough liquid, make another gallon of the brine mixture. Let it sit overnight or for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.

*If you don’t have time to brine, don’t panic. You can still smoke the chicken and it will taste great.

When you are ready to smoke the chicken, pat the skin and the inside of the cavity with paper towels. Do this several times until the chicken is dry.

Drizzle all sides and inside the cavity with extra virgin olive oil. Then sprinkle the dry rub over the entire surface of the bird.

If you have extra dry rub, sprinkle it inside the cavity as well. Then tie the legs together with cooking twine, and tuck the tips of the wings under.

What Temperature To Smoke A Chicken

Set your smoker to 275°F (135°C). Once a steady temperature has been achieved, place the chicken, breast side up directly on the grill grates.

Smoke at 275°F for for 3-4 hours. The actual time that it takes to smoke the chicken will depend on both the size of your bird and the type of smoker that you have.

Continue to smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when checked at the thickest part of the breast with an instant read digital thermometer.

However, if you want fall apart, tender smoked chicken, allow the chicken to cook to an internal temperature of 180°F (82°C) when checked at the thickest portion of the chicken thigh.

For extra crispy skin increase the temperature to 350°F (177°C) during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Remove the chicken to platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy! Mary

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