This Whole Smoked Chicken will make you reconsider every buying that $5 chicken form Costco ever again. Simple ingredients and big flavor make this the juiciest smoked chicken you will ever taste.
Why You Should Make This Whole Smoked Chicken Recipe
Flavor: Sure you can buy a cheap chicken at Costco for 5 bucks but lets be honest its dry and doesn't have much flavor. When you make your own you control the flavors and seasonings.
Ingredients: Im not gonna preach about clean ingredients because I'm not a doctor but if you do care about the ingredients making your own smoked chicken lets you decide what goes in your bird.
Juicy: Would you rather have Smoked Chicken fresh off the pit or one that's sitting in a plastic tray under a heat lamp for hours? I think you know which one.
Meal Prep: I love to smoke multiple whole chickens and break them down for other recipes Like Chicken Salad, Stir Fry or Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients for You'll Need
You can change the flavor by switching up the seasonings but overall you should have everything you need to make this recipe at home already.
- Whole Chicken (Raw)
- Olive Oil (or any neutral flavor oil
- Seasoning-for this recipe I used Slap Yo Mama Cajun Seasoning
- Chicken Brine (this is an optional step but I highly recommend
Whole Smoked Chicken Recipe
- Remove the whole chicken from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. If you are brining the chicken than gather those ingredients and brine the chicken overnight.
- The next day remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels then place the bird on a sheet pan with a wire rack and place in the fridge uncovered for a few hours. This will dry out the skin for a crispier final product.
- Preheat the smoker to 325 Degrees F.
- Rub down the chicken with oil on all sides then liberally season so the entire chicken is coated. Make sure to get inside the cavity and under the legs and wings.
- Smoke the chicken breast side up for about 90 minutes until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. The drumstick and thigh will be higher around 175-180 but that's a good thing.
- Once the Chicken is fully cooked pull the chicken off the smoker and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Helpful Tips for Smoking a Whole Chicken
- Rest the Chicken!! I know you're hungry but its really important if you want juicy chicken. If you slice it right away all the juices will run out the moment you cut into it.
- Don't Be afraid of seasoning. It's a whole chicken and most of the seasoning will be on the skin. Make sure to season inside the cavity and underneath the wings and legs. I also recommend brining the chicken for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- You can use any Pellet grill or smoker to make this recipe. The key is to maintain an even temperature and avoid any flare ups during the cooking process. You can also make this recipe in the oven using the same recipe. It will probably be done 15-20 minutes sooner than in the smoker.
- Use a Instant Read Thermometer. This is the only way to be sure the chicken is cooked properly. Do not Cut Ito the chicken with a knife to check for doneness. you are letting out all the moisture and will have dry meat.
How To Slice The Whole Chicken
When slicing the chicken I like to remove the leg quarters first then separate the thighs and drumsticks. Then I cut off the wings bu popping out the drumstick and cutting around it.
The last thing I slice is the breasts. to do this I run my knife along the top right in-between the two breasts and follow the bones making small cuts to remove the entire breast in one piece. then I slice the breast meat into ¼ inch slices.
The first time you slice a whole chicken its not gonna be perfect, it takes a little practice so don't be discourages if the first few look a little rough. I promise they will still taste delicious.
Make small knife cuts, follow the bone and look for the joints to separate the pieces. You got This!
FAQ
Depending on the size of the chicken it takes between 60 and 90 minutes at 325 degrees F.
The air fryer or oven is the best method for reheating a whole chicken. I wrap the breast meat in foil with a tbsp of butter and a 2 tbsp of chicken broth and cook for about 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. dark meat leave unwrapped for the same time and temperature.
Yes. Just make sure its sealed in a bag or airtight container and label and date it. It should last up to 4 months in the freeze. Make sure you thaw completely before reheating the chicken.
The best way to get crispy skin is to pull the chicken off the smoker at 155-160 degrees F and place it in the air fryer or under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. The smoker doesn't get hot enough and if you leave the chicken on longer you'll dry it out.
More Fantastic Chicken Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
- Smoked Chicken Legs
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Leg Quarters
Best Whole Smoked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken 4-6 lbs
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- Remove Chicken from packaging pat dry with paper towels. Place Chicken on a sheet pan with a wire rack and let sit uncovered in the fridge for 2 hours to dry out the skin. This step can be done the night before.
- Rub the chicken down with olive oil then season on all sides with the seasoning blend of your choosing. Make sure to get underneath the wings and legs as well as inside the cavity.
- Preheat the smoker to 325 degrees F. Smoke the Chicken for about 90 minutes until the chicken has an internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the thickens part of the breast. The leg and the thigh will read higher around 175 which is what we want for tender dark meat.
- Remove the chicken from the smoker and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Rest the Chicken!! I know you're hungry but its really important if you want juicy chicken. If you slice it right away all the juices will run out the moment you cut into it.
- Don't Be afraid of seasoning. It's a whole chicken and most of the seasoning will be on the skin. Make sure to season inside the cavity and underneath the wings and legs. I also recommend brining the chicken for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- You can use any Pellet grill or smoker to make this recipe. The key is to maintain an even temperature and avoid any flare ups during the cooking process. You can also make this recipe in the oven using the same recipe. It will probably be done 15-20 minutes sooner than in the smoker.
- Use a Instant Read Thermometer. This is the only way to be sure the chicken is cooked properly. Do not Cut Ito the chicken with a knife to check for doneness. you are letting out all the moisture and will have dry meat.
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