Smoking a chicken is EASY! Wow your taste buds with this melt-in-your-mouth smoked chicken! Prepped with a brown sugar, smoky paprika, and garlic based rub, this smoked chicken recipe tastes amazing!
Who doesn't love the taste of smoked meat? And I especially love smoked chicken. I've never met anyone who didn't get excited about sitting down to eat a meal that had some type of smoked meat, like slow smoked baby back BBQ ribs or a smoked pork shoulder for pulled pork barbecue sandwiches. Smoked meat is absolutely delicious!
And this Applewood smoked chicken is no different. It's fantastic! It's quick to prep, easy to smoke, and incredibly juicy. It pairs well with so many different side dishes like these creamy homemade deviled eggs, this grilled corn on the cob, and these smoked baked beans! I tell you...it's DELISH!
Smoking a whole chicken has never been easier. Anyone can do it. If you're new to smoking meat, this is a great beginner recipe to make. Even if you have experience smoking meat, this recipe is a must-have in your collection of smoker recipes! Everyone loves the smoky flavor and the taste of this tender meat.
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✔️ Quick Recipe Overview
Why This Is The Best Smoked Chicken Recipe: This is a 5 out of 5 🌟 rated recipe! It's tender, juicy, and full of favor. Watch the video in the recipe card to see how easy it is to smoke a chicken!
How Long It Takes: Marinate 12-24 hours. Smoke for 4-5 hours
Equipment You'll Need: charcoal, gas, electric, or pellet smoker
ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
1. This smoked chicken can be made using any type of smoker.
2. No brining needed! The meat turns out incredibly moist and tender because you smoke it low and slow.
3. You can use this recipe on a whole chicken, spatchcocked chicken, or individual chicken pieces!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
The smoked chicken rub is flavorful and easy to make using common spices typically found in your pantry. It's the perfect mix of smoky and sweet.
- Whole Chicken - use a 4-5 pound whole chicken so that it will cook more evenly while smoking. This larger size also retains moisture better than the smaller ones.
- Dark Brown Sugar - contains molasses which adds more sweetness to the rub.
- Chili Powder - adds a hint of spice that pairs well with the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Smoked Paprika - gives the rub a subtle smoky flavor.
- Onion Powder - pairs well with the other spices and gives the rub a well rounded flavor.
- Garlic Powder - adds a hint of garlic and savory flavor.
- Oregano - adds an additional layer of flavor to the rub which takes the flavor to a whole new level.
- Salt - adding salt to the rub improves the overall taste by providing a savory element.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
📋 Variations
- When it comes to smoking a chicken, you can either smoke it whole or spatchcock it.
- For more richness and added flavor, baste it with melted butter a couple of times while it's smoking.
- If using a water pan, try adding a 1 tablespoon of Liquid Smoke to the water. This will add to the smoky flavor.
- When you slow smoke a whole chicken, the skin can become dry and rubbery. And for those who love to eat the skin, you'll want to make sure it's moist and delicious. To get that delicious and moist skin, take a large cheesecloth and soak it in melted butter. Drape it over the chicken before you put it in the smoker. Smoke the whole chicken with the cheesecloth on the entire time and then remove it 30 minutes before it's done smoking.
🔪 How Spatchcock A Chicken
You can smoke a whole chicken with great results, but there is a benefit to spatchcocking. Spatchcocking is a cooking technique where you remove the backbone to split and flatten the bird. When it's flattened, it cooks faster and more evenly than a whole bird. This method results in juicier and more tender meat. I also use this method when making this roasted apple cider chicken!
Step 1: To spatchcock the chicken, start by removing and discarding the innards, such as the neck and liver that may be stuffed in the middle. Then place it on a cutting board.
👩🍳 Important Note: It's not necessary to rinse the chicken. Doing so can actually increase the risk of cross-contamination by the splashing of the water which can spread harmful bacteria around your sink and kitchen. The smoking process will kill the bacteria as long as it's cooked to the proper internal temperate.
Step 2: Using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck.
Step 3: Repeat on the other side to remove the backbone completely.
Step 4: Turn the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it out.
The spatchcocked chicken is now ready to be seasoned and then smoked.
📖 Preparing The Smoker
Depending on the type of smoker you use will depend on how you prep it.
- Light the smoker and preheat it to 225°F before adding the meat.
- If you're using a water pan, use a disposable pan or wrap the water bowl with aluminum foil before adding the water. There are a lot of drippings when smoking and this will make cleanup easier after the smoke.
- Depending on what type of smoker you use will determine if you use wood chips, wood chunks, or pellets. If using wood chunks, they should last the entire smoke time without having to refill the pan. If you use wood chips, they will burn out by the end of the smoke time so check them every 1.5-2 hours and add more as needed.
🐔 How To Smoke A Whole Chicken
Step 1: Start by applying the rub and allow it to marinate. Take the rub and sprinkle it all over the chicken.
👩🍳 Chef's Note: Make sure to press the rub in really well, especially under the skin. This helps enhance the flavor. You want the chicken to be completely covered with the rub.
Step 2: Next, place the chicken in a large dish, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator. Allow it to marinate for 12-24 hours.
Step 3: Prep the smoker and once it has preheated to 225°F, put it on a rack in the smoker breast side up.
Step 4: Insert a meat thermometer into the side of the breast ensuring it doesn't touch any part of the bone.
Step 5: Let it smoke low and slow. The method of smoking at a low temperature allows more flavor to build over a longer cook time.
Once the internal meat thermometer reaches 165°F, it's done. Remove it from the smoker and wrap it loosely with aluminum foil. This helps keeps it warm.
Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and settle within the meat, resulting in an incredibly moist and more flavorful meat.
Look at that gorgeous smoked chicken! Smoked to perfection, it's incredibly juicy and makes for the perfect dinner!
🙋🏼 Recipe FAQs
Smoking low and slow won't get you the crispy chicken skin you're looking for. One method you can introduce is to start smoking at 225°F and then increase the smoker temperature to around 300°F toward the end of the smoking process. If you use this method, you have to be careful and do it just right so the meat doesn't dry out.
Another option is to brine the chicken and then smoke it at 325°F the entire time to try and get crispy skin. It can be done, you just have to adjust the smoking process.
I'm a fan of the low and slow process because that's the method that results in juicy and tender meat. Smoke a whole chicken, spatchcock chicken, and individual pieces between 225°F-250°F.
Apple wood works best with this recipe, but any mild flavored wood will work well. Pecan and cherry wood are all great choices!
There are 2 ways to ensure the meat doesn't dry out during smoking:
1. Smoking meat low and slow helps allows the meat to cook slowly and evenly. This gentle cooking process ensures the meat doesn't dry out and that the heat has enough time to penetrate the meat, breaking down the connective tissues and making it tender.
2. Ensure you don't overcook it. Remove the chicken from the smoker as soon as the internal meat thermometer reaches 165°F.
💭 Expert Tips
- Ensure the chicken is completely thawed before applying the rub and smoking it.
- For best results, let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- I use (and recommend) wood chunks instead of wood chips for this recipe. Using larger pieces of wood produces a greater amount of smoke, enhancing the flavor of the meat.
- Always smoke to temperature, not time. As a general rule, you can estimate approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of smoking time per pound of chicken. Always use a digital meat thermometer when smoking meat to monitor the temperature of the meat. When it reaches 165°F, it's done.
- When using a smoker, the temperature will range back and forth several degrees. For best results, keep the smoker between 225°F and 250°F. But don't let it go over 250°F.
- Store in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For best results, reheat in the oven until warm. To ensure the meat doesn't dry out, add a small amount of chicken broth.
🍽️ Other Smoked Foods You'll Love
If you tried this smoked chicken or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
👩🍳 Looking for more information about smoking meat? Are you looking for more smoker recipes? I recently published a smoking cookbook that contains 65 smoker recipes that anyone can make!
Order your of Smoking Meat Made Easy copy today!
Applewood Smoked Chicken
Equipment
- Smoker any type
Ingredients
- ¼ 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
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
Instructions
How To Spatchcock A Whole Chicken
- Start by removing and discarding the innards, such as the neck and liver that may be stuffed in the middle of the chicken. Place the whole chicken on a cutting board.
- Using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck.
- Repeat on the other side to remove the backbone completely.
- Turn the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it out.
How To Smoke Chicken
- In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of oregano, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Generously cover the chicken with the rub. Make sure to press the rub into the chicken really well, especially under the skin. You want the chicken to be completely covered with the rub.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- After the chicken has marinated, prep the smoker accordingly and preheat it until the smoker reaches 225°F.
- Once the smoker has preheated, put the whole chicken on a rack in the smoker breast side up. Insert a meat thermometer into the side of the chicken breast ensuring it doesn't touch any part of the bone.
- Smoke the chicken at about 225°F until the internal meat thermometer reaches 165°F.
- When the chicken is done, remove it from the smoker.
- Wrap it loosely with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Ensure the chicken is completely thawed before applying the rub and smoking the chicken.
- I use (and recommend) wood chunks instead of wood chips for this recipe. Using larger pieces of wood produces a greater amount of smoke, enhancing the flavor of the meat.
- Always smoke to temperature, not time. Use a digital meat thermometer when smoking meat to monitor the temperature of the meat.
- When using a smoker, the temperature will range back and forth several degrees. For best results, keep the smoker between 225°F and 250°F. But don't let it go over 250°F.
Trevor
Do NOT rinse your chicken. Rinsing a chicken only guarantees you're spreading salmonella around your kitchen sink. It does absolutely nothing for the cook.
In addition. adding liquid smoke when you're smoking a chicken for five hours is going to add absolutely nothing to your cook.
The rest of the recipe is solid. Of course, I would save the innards to either boil/fry and eat or make a delicious au jus to pour over the chicken and a side of mash potatoes.
Amanda Mason
Hi Trevor!
While I see what you are saying about washing the chicken and splatters/germs, I still do it and I've very careful/clean up extremely well. When you rinse the inside of the chicken and remove the organs, a ton of blood is rinsed out. I get that you'll be cooking it, but I just want all that blood gone before I cook my chicken. Since I do choose to rinse the chicken, I sterilize my sink and counters extremely well post this rinse. In regard to the liquid smoke...totally don't agree with you there. I've made this chicken with and without the liquid smoke and there is a huge taste difference. You should try it both ways and see if you can tell the difference. Let me know! Thanks for the comment and feedback!
DDouble
Why is the calorie count so high? Is it the skin?
Amanda Mason
Yep. The nutritional calculator I use includes the skin.
John Spurgeon
Followed your instructions and smoked a chicken today, the best chicken my wife and I have ever had seriously!!
Amanda Mason
Hi John! I'm SOOO glad you and your wife loved this recipe!! Thank you so much for writing in and leaving this comment!!!! Can't wait to hear what other recipes on the blog you end up trying!! Thank you for following me here at Recipes Worth Repeating!!!
Douglas Hunter
Very good recipie, thank you. I doubled up on the salt and added 1/2 tsp cayenne. Very juicy and delicious.👍
Amanda Mason
Thanks, Douglas!! I'm so glad you loved it!! I bet that cayenne really popped additional flavor!!!
ALAN E WESTON
The link on this page for an electrical temperature gauge lands on an electronic kitchen timer.
Amanda Mason
Hi Alan!! SO sorry about that! I just fixed the link so try it now! I use this one: https://amzn.to/2WC5CXv
Susan
We have a MasterBuilt Smoker, propane. We cannot get it to 250 degrees much less 225. Does your smoker go down to 225 and stay?
Amanda Mason
It does! It actually goes down to 200!
David Smith
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I just smoked some chickens today following your instructions and they can out AWESOME! Will definitely be using again! I kept the chickens whole, but other than that, followed your instructions and recipe exactly! Will be looking at more of your recipes in the future. Have a wonderful evening!
Amanda Mason
David- thank you so much for writing me to let me know how it turned out!! I'm so glad you loved it! This is definately one of my favorite recipes, as well!! Let me know what other recipes you try! I can't wait to hear about how you like them!!
Smoked
Sounds like you used regular paprika because SMOKED paprika tastes like barbecue already without cooking. Make sure to buy SMOKED paprika and not regular paprika.
Now, if you did use SMOKED paprika and are complaining that it tasted like SMOKED paprika...... well, that's a bit like saying, you put BBQ sauce on it and it tasted like...... BBQ.
Amanda Mason
Yes to everything you said above!! SMOKED paprika is the key! Your chicken will taste like paprika if you don't use SMOKE Paprika. Regular paprika is just crushed dried chilies. Smoked paprika uses chilies that are smoke-dried and then crushed. There’s actually a lot to paprika and the taste difference is huge.
Sarah
Hey could you also butterfly the chicken by cutting the spine out verses cutting through the breastbone?
Amanda Mason
Hi Sarah! Yes- you can do that too!! Can't wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Susan
I am sorry. Really wanted to like this but we do not. It did not meet our expectations. Followed the recipe as listed. Smoked as directed. Tasted like paprika chicken. No smoky goodness. Could have accomplished the same taste baking in oven.
Amanda Mason
Hi Susan - I'm sorry you didn't like the recipe. Everyone's taste buds are different. Based on the comments from others who have tried this recipe, they've loved it.
Walt
Good. Used cherrywood chips in an electric...I'm glad my GF talked me into putting bbq sauce on half of the thighs a couple hours into cooking. They turned out much more moist. Dry rub had a good taste though.
Amanda Mason
I'm glad you liked the rub! Yes you can definately add BBQ sauce if that's your taste preference.
Andy
First time smoking a chicken was last night with this recipe. Fantastic!! Skin was crispy, chicken was juicy, and kids enjoyed it. Thank you for the recipe.
Amanda Mason
Hi Andy! I'm SO glad you loved it!! It's a favorite for sure!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!!