A smoked whole chicken is cheap, quick by smoking standards and feeds a family. The trick is running the smoker a little hotter than you would for pork so the skin doesn't turn rubbery. Spatchcocking it helps it cook faster and more evenly.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4–5 lb, giblets removed
- 3–4 tbsp poultry rub
- 1 tsp kosher salt, if dry brining and your rub is low in salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda), for crisper skin (optional)
- 2–3 lb smoking wood: apple, cherry, pecan or a light mix with hickory
Steps
- Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels. For faster, more even cooking, spatchcock it: cut out the backbone with kitchen shears, flip it and press down on the breastbone to flatten.
- Rub the chicken all over with oil or butter. Season it evenly with the poultry rub, including under the breast skin. Mix the baking powder into the rub first if using it.
- For the best skin, dry brine it: sprinkle on the salt (if using), then refrigerate the chicken uncovered on a rack for 4–24 hours. This seasons the meat and dries the surface.
- Set up your smoker for 300–325°F with apple, cherry or pecan. If your smoker can't get that hot, smoke at 250–275°F and finish the skin on a hot grill or in a 425°F oven.
- Place the chicken on the grate, skin side up, with the legs toward the hottest part of the smoker. Insert a probe into the thickest part of the breast without touching bone.
- Smoke until the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F and the thighs read at least 165°F, ideally 175–185°F for tender dark meat. This takes about 1 1/2–2 hours spatchcocked or 2–2 1/2 hours whole.
- Check the inner thigh and the thickest part of the breast in a few spots with an instant-read thermometer before pulling it.
- Rest the chicken on a cutting board for 10–15 minutes, loosely tented with foil, then carve and serve.
Why this works
Chicken is lean, so it doesn't need hours of low heat like brisket. Cooking at 300–325°F renders the fat under the skin so it gets bite-through instead of chewy. A dry brine seasons the meat and dries the skin at the same time. Spatchcocking puts the thighs and breast at the same level, so the breast doesn't dry out while the legs finish.
Food safety
The USDA says chicken is safe at 165°F. Check the thickest part of the breast, the thigh and the wing joint. Dark meat is safe at 165°F too, but it gets more tender at 175–185°F, which is why we pull based on the breast and let the thighs run higher.
The rub
Use 3–4 tablespoons of our herb-and-paprika poultry rub for a 4–5 lb bird. If your rub has salt, you don't need extra salt for the dry brine. For a sweeter, darker bird, try our all-purpose BBQ rub and watch for burning above 300°F.
Best wood
Chicken soaks up smoke fast, so go with mild woods. Apple and cherry are great, and cherry gives the skin a nice mahogany color. Pecan is a little stronger. Use hickory or mesquite only in small amounts. Check the wood pairing chart for more.
How to tell it's done
Trust the thermometer, not the clock. The juices should run clear and the leg should wiggle loosely, but the number is what matters: 165°F in the breast.
Make ahead / storage
Refrigerate leftover chicken within 2 hours. It keeps 3–4 days. Pull the meat for salads, tacos or soup. It freezes well for 2–3 months.
Gear for this recipe
- A fast instant-read thermometer to check several spots
- An electric smoker works fine, then finish the skin in the oven
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