Smoked Whole Chicken

This smoked chicken recipe is easy to prep and results in juicy chicken with a delicious smokey flavor.

Juicy Smokey Chicken

This method for cooking chicken yields a bird that is moist with a delicious crispy skin and deep smokey flavor.

Why you will love this chicken recipe

Smoked chicken is extra flavorful, easy to prepare and you can customize the flavor with herbs and spices.

This recipe is ideal for meal prepping. You will have a lot of chicken that you can use in multiple dishes.

I like to use the chicken breast to make enchiladas, bowls and salads.

Reserve the bones and carcass after carving the chicken and make chicken stock.

Ingredients

You will need a handful of herbs and spices, butter, lemon, garlic and a whole chicken.

As far as the smoking process, use your favorite pellets. We like using Hickory pellets or Mesquite for a deep smokey flavor.

For a milder smokey taste, use cherry pellets.

How to spatchcock a whole chicken

Spatchcocking your bird is simple. Allows the chicken to cook quicker and more evenly.

• Remove the gizzards from the chicken cavity.
• With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove the back bone by cutting thru on each side of the bone.
• Once the back bone is completely removed, place the chicken on a flat surface with the breast side up.
• With both hands, press down in the middle of the chicken until you hear a light popping sound.
• The chicken should now be flat and ready to be seasoned.

The main tip in order to do this process is to have the appropriate knife or tool to cut through and remove the spine of the chicken.

Be careful when doing this since you will have to cut some bone and some areas may be tougher than others.

How to season chicken

I like to start by using a half lemon and squeezing some of the juice inside the chicken cavity and the rub the lemon on the chicken skin.

After that I use a generous amount of salt and pepper (about 2 teaspoons of salt).

I make a compound butter to ensure the chicken stays moist during the cooking process.

I add butter, garlic powder and herbs. I rub the butter on the chicken skin and under the skin around the chicken breast which is the part that dries more easily.