Smoking a chicken is EASY! Wow your taste buds with this melt-in-your-mouth Applewood Smoked Chicken! Prepped with a brown sugar, smoky paprika and garlic based rub, this Applewood Smoked Chicken tastes amazing!
Who doesn’t love the taste of smoked meat? I’ve never met anyone who didn’t get excited about sitting down to eat a meal that involved any type of smoked meat. Smoked meat is absolutely amazing. And this Applewood Smoked Chicken is fantastic! Easy, fast to prep and super juicy. I tell you…it’s DELISH!
And guess what? Spring and summer are right around the corner! Memorial Day will be here before you know it and after that we run right into 4th of July! What’s on your Memorial Day and 4th of July food menu? Have you thought about it? Are you grilling or smoking, or both?!? If you haven’t thought it through, don’t worry…it’s not too late! I’ll help you think of some AMAZING smoked foods! I’m sure you can guess what’s on my menu…yep my Applewood Smoked Chicken!
I love to use my smoker. Smoking meat is one of my favorite things to do. A lot of people ask me what types of meat I like to smoke. Well let’s see…I love to smoke salmon, tri tip, ribs and chicken! Oh…and brisket! OH!! And side dishes!! Did you know you can smoke side dishes?
I’ve been asked by my friends to post my Applewood Smoked Chicken recipe, so here it is guys right in time for the warm weather! And I’m going to walk you through how I smoke my chicken step-by-step so you know what to expect! By the way, this is MY smoker, not Mr. Mason’s smoker. Most husbands have a smoker and a grill. Nope, not here at Mason Manor. I own the grill and the smoker. I asked my husband for a smoker last Christmas and he was like…really? You want a smoker for your Christmas present? Not clothes or jewelry? Nope. I was tired of only getting smoked meat when I went to a party or a friend’s house. It was time to make my own smoked food!
Smokers
Smoking meat has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. I grew up with my dad telling stories about how he and his dad and brothers used to dig a hole in the ground and smoke an entire hog. At Thanksgiving, Mr. Mason’s family smokes their turkeys and they are so good! So naturally…I NEEDED a smoker! So what did Mr. Mason do? He bought me a smoker. He bought me a Smoke Hollow 38202G 38-Inch 2-Door Propane Gas Smoker. This is a gas smoker that runs off of a propane tank. There are a lot of different types of smokers you can buy…pellet, electric, charcoal….but guys, I wanted easy. I NEED easy in my life! And Mr. Mason knows that so he went with a gas smoker and I absolutely love it!
How to Prepare Applewood Smoked Chicken
So, let’s jump into how I prep and smoke my Applewood Smoked Chicken. First, let me talk about my rub and wood for a minute. I use (and recommend) wood chunks instead of wood chips for this recipe. I find that chunks produce more smoke and the meat turns out more flavorful. There are so many different types of wood out there and so many different rubs! I have used several different kinds of wood for chicken, but I’ve found that applewood chunks give me the best results when it comes to smoking a chicken. It gives the meat a subtle smoky apple flavor. Ok so let’s going! Step-by-step instructions are below!
Step 1 – The Rub
The rub…oh man where do I start!?!? Let’s start with the ingredients. This rub includes:
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano
- Salt
Brown sugar is just a MUST when you are making a rub. I’ve tried making several rubs, but this one is my favorite when smoking chicken. It’s the perfect mix of smoky and sweet. By the way…this rub is Gluten Free.
Step 2 – Cutting the Chicken
I like to smoke a whole chicken. You’ll want to first remove and toss out the innards, such as the neck and liver that’s stuffed in the middle of the chicken. From there, you’ll need to rinse the chicken inside and out. Once that’s done, dry the chicken off with a paper towel. Place the whole chicken on a cutting board.
Next, take a sharp butcher knife and slice your chicken in half by cutting down the breast. You’re literally going to have to break the sternum so you can split the chicken. 
From there, pull the breasts apart. I call this step of the process “butterflying” the chicken.
Step 3 – Marinating The Chicken
Take that rub and sprinkle it all over the chicken. When putting the rub on your chicken, make sure you press the rub into the chicken really well. This helps enhance the flavor. You literally want your chicken to be saturated with the rub.
Next, place your chicken in a glass pyrex dish, cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator. I like to let my chicken marinate overnight.
Step 4 – Preparing The Smoker
There’s a couple of things you should do before you start smoking your food.
- I like to wrap my water bowl with aluminum foil before I add the water. By doing this you’re saving yourself a lot of mess. Less cleanup is always better! I also add about a Tablespoon of Liquid Smoke to my water to help contribute to the smoky flavor. But that’s optional.
- Are you going to use wood chips or chunks? Are you going to soak them? I prefer using chunks when I smoke my chicken because it’s been my experience they produce more smoke for a longer period of time. And I always soak my chunks.
- I wrap my wood chunks in aluminum foil and poke holes in the aluminum foil with a knofe. To me, the smoke pouch helps smoke release better which provides more flavor.
- I preheat my smoker before I place the food in. It takes about 30 minutes to warm up my smoker to 225 degrees.
So here’s what you’ve accomplished in the process so far:
- You put the rub on your chicken,
- It’s done marinating,
- You’re smoker is prepped with the wood and water
You’re now ready to smoke your chicken! Go ahead and place that rubbed chicken on a rack in the smoker.
Step 5 – Smoking Your Chicken
Let’s talk smoking time for your chicken and temperature for your smoker. I smoke my chicken at around 225 degrees for 4 to 5 hours. Towards the end of the smoking process, I always insert an internal thermometer to ensure the temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees. I insert the digital thermometer at about the 4th hour so I can see how much longer it has before reaching 165 degrees. Make sure to watch the actual smoker temperature and don’t let it go over 250 degrees. Slow and low my friends….you want to smoke this slow and low!
Once you meat is done, you’re ready to remove the chicken from the smoker. Look at that gorgeous smoked chicken! 
Juicy and and delicious! Smoked to perfection! Look at that chicken leg!
Perfectly cooked and full of flavor!
Quick Tips and Tricks
- I highly recommend letting your chicken marinate in the rub overnight.
- When smoking your chicken, sometimes the smoker temperature will get up to 250, but I never let it go over that. You will need to manage your temperature to ensure the smoker doesn’t get too hot. I use this electrical temperature gauge when smoking my meat…works amazing!
- You should expect to see a lot of smoke in the first 2 hours and then it will die down a bit. It will smell wonderful outside!
Other Smoked Foods You’ll Love
- Smoked Brisket
- Smoked Cherry Tomatoes with Basil and Goat Cheese
- 16 Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy A Smoker
Guys, I can’t even explain how much my smoker means to me. I know that sounds silly but when I first got my smoker, my dad came over and we smoked several cuts of meat. Both my dad and I really enjoy cooking and I knew that if I got a smoker we could smoke meat together and compare and create new rub recipes. Daddy and I both smoked chickens today. He decided to take my rub recipe and double the amount of Smoked Paprika. Look at the color difference! Feel free to play around with the amount of Smoked Paprika you use in this rub. It’s fun to experiment! Regardless if you stick to my 1 Tablespoon of Smoked Paprika or double it, the taste is phenomenal!
It’s been so fun spending afternoons with dad hovering over the smoker and talking! We have created some fantastic memories together just sitting around talking about our family and his childhood memories. And…my dad ended up buying a smoker shortly after I got mine! It’s just been amazing! You guys are going to LOVE this Applewood Smoked Chicken!
If you’ve tried my Applewood Smoked Chicken, rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below! I love hearing from you! FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest because I’m CONSTANTLY posting yummy food that I know you will love!
Smoking a chicken is EASY! Wow your tastebuds with this melt-in-your-mouth Applewood Smoked Chicken! Prepped with a brown sugar, smoky paprika and garlic based rub, this smoked chicken tastes amazing!
- 1/4 cup cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Take the chicken and remove all the inside parts that need to be tossed out, like the liver, neck, etc. Run cold water over your chicken and rinse well. Pat dry.
Take the whole chicken and on a cutting board, cut the chicken with a meat cleaver down the middle of the breast. (I like to do this so I can open up the chicken and get the rub everywhere.) Place in a 9x13 glass pyrex dish.
In a small bowl, mix all the dry rub ingredients listed above. Generously rub the chicken that is still in the Pyrex dish with the mixture until rub is gone.
Place plastic wrap over the Pyrex dish and refrigerate overnight. I like to marinate my chicken for at least 8 to 12 hours.
After the chicken has marinated, turn on your smoker (or light it) and let it preheat until the smoker hits 225 degrees.
Once preheated, place the whole chicken on the rack breast side up and close your smoker. You should expect to see a lot of smoke in the first 2 hours and then it will die down a bit. It will smell wonderful outside!
Smoke the chicken at about 225 degrees for about 4 to 5 hours. Sometimes the smoker temperature will get up to 250, but I never let it go over that. You will need to manage your temperature to ensure the smoker doesn’t get too hot.
At the 4th hour, insert a digital thermometer to see how much longer it has before reaching 165 degrees. When the chicken is done, turn the smoker off and remove the chicken.
Your chicken should be at 165 degrees. I like to check at the chicken breast and legs.
Let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes before slicing and eating.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in June of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions and tips in April of 2018.
NOTE: You will find affiliate links on this page.
I have yet to smoke chicken. Or smoke any meat for that matter. But this recipe makes me want to. It looks so delicious!!
Thanks! Having a smoker is one of the BEST purchases I’ve ever bought. We smoke everything. Such an amazing investment! If you ever try it, let me know how it turns out!
Are we related? 😉
This mom of four has a vegetarian, one lactose intolerant, one gluten intolerent, and three who can eat anything. Since I cook from scratch, it’s not that hard to adjust/tweak. Trying your smoked chicken today.
Let me know how you like it!! It’s cold here in AZ so using my smoker would be perfect on a day like today!
Wow this was amazing! Rub is perfect! We did chicken drumsticks and wings and chicken was moist and juicy…..delicious! Thank you for sharing this
Hi Jo!!
I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment!!
That chicken looks absolutely fabulous! Love the flavor combinations!
Thanks! Yes, you will love it. It’s a beautiful color and the moisture in this smoked chicken is ridiculous! So moist and flavorful!
I’m new to smoking meat but I recently purchased a very nice propane smoker. I have the Applewood chunks to make this recipe but I couldn’t find in your instructions whether I leave the chunks in the smoker the entire time it’s cooking or not. Would you please elaborate on that part of the process.
Hi there! Yes, leave the chunks in there the entire time. When you start smoking meats that require a longer smoke time, you’ll want to add more chunks to your pan but for this recipe, the chunks are added at the beginning and your leave them alone until the smoking is done. Make sure you soak your chunks before you start smoking. I soak mine in water overnight. Also, you’ll have a separate pan of water in your smoker so when you smoke (or at least in my smoker) I have a separate pan for my chunks and a separate pan for my water. I line my water pan with aluminum foil then put the water in. Let me know if you have any other questions! Some people also cover their wood chunks with aluminum foil and poke holes in it. Lots of different methods. Let me know if you have any other specific questions!
I am also the female smoker/griller of our family. I recipes and cell photos of my smoking meats. Maybe it is a blond thing hehe.
I spatchcock (cut backbone out) turkey to cook in a 2/3 the time. I slide my fingers between the breast and skin to place rub on breast meat. Once you go smoked turkey you will never go back to dry oven roasted turkey. Thanks
Leaves the breast meat more protected to spatchcock the chicken or turkey.
Interesting! I’ve never done that! I’ll have to check it out!!
I still have yet to buy a smoker, but it is on my list. As much as I would love to buy one of the old-time wood smokers and picture myself on the deck watching it all day, I don’t know if I can do that! I am more thinking a high-quality electric smoker that is good at maintaining temperature.
If I happened to inherit a basic one, I might do that, as free or next to free is always good.
I love smoked stuff and also love experimenting, so I really don’t know why I haven’t splurged yet. The chicken you are picturing here looks so good and I want to eat it all. Even the skin. Especially the skin. Don’t tell my doctor.
HA HA! this made me laugh! I won’t tell your doctor! Thank you for the responses on the pictures! Seriously – go get a smoker! The one I have and linked to in my post makes it SUPER easy to smoke. I don’t have to babysit it all day; I just monitor it! You’ll thank yourself for buying one!
Looks amazing!!
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
I’ve smoked chicken a handful of times in the last 6 months. The colour of the chicken looks great and flavour of the meat is delicious. The problem is rubbery skin. Unless the chicken is cooked at at least 325 the skin will be rubbery and almost inedible. Thoughts?
Hi there – I don’t eat the skin. I’ve heard that if you take a cheesecloth and soak it in melted butter then drape it over the bird before you put it in the smoker, it helps protect the skin at a low smoke and is quite tasty. I’ve not done this though. I agree that low heat plus the smoking process does equal a tough skin. Another thing you can try to do is smoke it at a higher temperature. Got with 325. Keep that meat thermometer in the chicken and when it reaches 165 to 170…it’s ready. I can pretty much guarantee that will work perfect for you with my recipe!
I’m glad you love the flavor of my rub!
You don’t need to smoke it at such a low temperature, bump it up to 275-285. It will be done in a hour and a half to two hours, or slow cook it as Amanda says, then pop it it a hot oven for An additional 10 minutes to crisp up the skin. I should mention that I also brine my chicken so it doesn’t dry out.
Good tips, for sure! thanks for sharing, Ed!
Your Applewood Smoked Chicken looks fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and sure hope you are having a great week!
Miz Helen
Yes – this one is a huge hit!
Thanks for this. Yours was the first recipe I had ever smoked. 4.5h on the smoker. Lots of smoke flavor. The rub was kind of lost in it. I covered the bird well in it, but didn’t get it under the skin. I did marinate it overnight (16h in all).
Do you ever do it skinless or apply rub under the skin?
Yes – that is a good point. If you can really penetrate that rub under the chicken skin it would help seep into the chicken more. I’ve not done it skinless, no. A lot of people like to eat the skin so with the smoked flavor on the skin, it’s pretty flavorful.
I have yet to smoke anything but ribs and am ready to venture out! So two questions,….do you put rub on skin on the top and meat on the bottom? Do you ever smoke this in a pan for easier clean up? Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Cindy! I put the rub all over the chicken. Top, bottom, sides, and sometimes I rub it under the skin! I try to get it everywhere I dont smoke it in a pan for easier cleanup. You probably could…but I’ve always read to just put it on the rack. Let me know how it turns out for you! I’m so excited to hear back from you on your results!!
How do you keep the breast meat at 165 when you take the dark meat to 175? Do you tent it for a certain amount of time or something like that?
Hi David! Your chicken is done at 165. I need to update my post. I think I let it get to 175 once…but it’s done at 165. You don’t want to oversmoke it because it will fry it out.
I don’t mean to sound dumb but am I to assume I use apple wood chips?
Yep – but I use chunks…not chips. I write about my preference but you can use either!
Thank you!
Trying this tomorrow but put chicken in ziploc and added a couple spoons of the rub to apple cider and letting that sit overnight will dry off and cover with remaining rub in the morning and let sit for about 6 hours before smoking on pellet grill
Sounds really good!! Let me know how it turns out!! I love when people get creative with my recipes as the base!! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!!
I really enjoyed this recipe.
I did find issue with the cook time and thankfully monitored the temperature from the start. Mine was done in 1 1/2hrs.
In line with the apple juice comment, out of habit from smoking pork, I put a cup of apple cider vinegar in my water reservoir and that added to flavor profile.
Your chicken hit 165 in a smoker in 1.5 hours on 225 degrees? Mine ALWAYS takes at least 4 hours at 225. Slow and low is the key to smoking. As long as your chicken hit 165 degrees, it’s done. But you’re going to get the most flavor and super moist and tender chicken when you let this smoke slowly. Perhaps turn your smoker lower next time so you get that slow smoke going on longer. I do love your addition of the apple juice! What a fabulous idea!! I will try that next time!
What a fantastic recipe. I also use wood chunks for more smoke often myself. Thanks for sharing this and I’m going to share this one with my friends as well.
I am SO glad you liked it!! And thanks for sharing it! It’s one of my most popular recipes!
This look very tasty on pictures. I have electric smoker and try dish on it for Christmas and feedback you after. Thanks for nice recipe.
Let me know how it turns out for you! Excited to hear!!
I was wondering your chicken looks wonderful but my question is your skin on the chicken crisp or rubbery as a lot of smoked chickens come out rubbery do you crisp it up? –Thanks Steve
Hi!! To be honest…I dont eat the skin. The one time I tried it it was a mix between crisp and rubbery. But since I dont eat the skin, I’ve never had a reason to crisp it up! I hope that is helpful!!