Best Whole Smoked Chicken

Whole smoked chicken resting on a cutting board

Best Whole Smoked Chicken

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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, BBQ, Budget Friendly, Low Carb

Keyword Chicken recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Servings

Calories 481kcal

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.

Nutrition