Smoked Whole Chicken

Why this Recipe Works

Perfectly smoked chicken is moist and flavorful and always a crowd-pleaser at backyard barbecues. But cooking a whole chicken on a smoker can be tricky. Done wrong, the white meat can easily dry out, and the skin can be tough and rubbery.

In this whole smoked chicken recipe, we will "spatchcock" the bird, which means to remove the backbone and flatten the chicken. We'll also coat the exterior with olive oil the keep the skin soft, and we'll use a homemade rub to season the chicken. Then we'll smoke it at a higher temperature to keep the meat moist and juicy.

• Homemade Rub - This flavorful smoked chicken rub is made with simple ingredients that you probably have on hand.
• Spatchcocked Chicken - I'll show you how to butcher the chicken to help it cook more evenly and avoid dry white meat. All you need is a good pair of kitchen shears to do the job.
• Smoke at 275°F - Many recipes call for a temperature of 225°F which is perfect for fatty pork and beef cuts. But smoking chicken at a higher temp helps keep it moist but still infuses it with rich smoke flavor.

Smoked Chicken Rub

This quick and simple BBQ dry rub for smoked chicken is sweet from the brown sugar with a mild spice level from the paprika and black pepper.

To prepare the spice rub, simply add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. If time allows, I highly recommend applying the rub the night before you cook. This is called a dry brine and allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat.

If you want more spice in your smoked BBQ chicken, you can add a teaspoon or two of cayenne pepper to the mix. For even smoke flavor, you can use smoked paprika. And for a more savory smoked chicken, a simple mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder works great.

How to Spatchcock a Whole Chicken

Spatchcocked chicken cooks more evenly and helps to avoid drying out the white meat while you wait for the dark meat to finish. It's easy to do, and it's the best way to smoke a whole chicken!

1. Lay the chicken on a cutting board with the breast meat facing down.
2. Locate the backbone, then begin trimming the bones along the backbone with kitchen shears to separate the thigh. Continue up toward the wings until you've cut through one side.
3. Repeat on the other side of the backbone and remove the backbone. I recommend freezing the backbone to use later for stock.
4. Flip the chicken over so the breast is facing up. Then press down firmly with both hands on the breast bone to flatten the breast. Arrange the thighs so the meat and skin are facing up, and tuck the wing tips under the breast.

How to Smoke a Whole Chicken

1. Lightly coat the chicken skin with olive oil. Season the chicken on all sides with the rub and work some in under the skin with your hands, being careful not to tear the skin.
2. Preheat your smoker to 275°F, then place the chicken on the rack with the skin facing up and add a few wood chunks to produce the smoke (depending on the type of smoker you use).
3. Cook the chicken for around 2-2½ hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F in the deepest part of the breast.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests and should reach the USDA recommended 165°F.

What Temperature to Smoke a Chicken?

Smoking chicken at 275°F will cook it faster, making it less likely to dry out, but it is still low enough to allow plenty of time for the smoke to flavor the meat.

Many smoked meats, like pulled pork barbecue and smoked beef chuck, are best when cooked at 225°F. This low temperature allows the fat and connective tissue to slowly render and flavor the meat as it cooks to become ultra tender.

But chicken has much less fat, and the delicate white meat of the chicken breast can easily dry out during a longer cook at a lower temperature.

Smoked Chicken Internal Temperature

I recommend removing the chicken from your smoker when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F. Then transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Pulling the chicken at this temperature will help to avoid drying out the white meat. As the chicken rests, the internal temperature will continue to rise to the USDA recommended temperature of 165°F. This resting time will allow the juices to redistribute and will result in a moister, juicer chicken.

I recommend using a high-quality digital thermometer with a leave-in probe inserted in the deepest part of the breast to monitor the temperature throughout the cook.

It's also best to check the meat with an instant-read thermometer in several places when finished to ensure the chicken is properly cooked throughout.

How Long to Smoke Chicken

When smoking a whole chicken at 275°F, plan on around 30 minutes per pound or 2 to 2 1⁄2 hours of cooking time for a 4-pound chicken.

Remember, there are many factors that can impact cooking time when smoking any cut of meat. So it's important to always cook to the correct internal temperature and not rely on time.

How to Make Smoked Chicken with Crispy Skin

Smoked chicken skin can be tough and leathery. Giving the skin a light coat of oil and smoking your chicken at 275°F help to reduce this and make it softer, but it will still not be crispy.

If you want crispier skin, you will need to use high heat at the end of the cooking process. This can be done by cranking up the heat in your smoker or using your oven or a hot grill. This is the same technique I use in my crispy smoked chicken wings recipe.

If using an oven or grill, remove the chicken from the smoker at 150°F. Then transfer it to a 425°F oven or your grill using medium-high heat and cook for around 10 minutes with the skin side down, until the skin is nice and crisp. Watch it closely and be careful to avoid burning the skin, especially if using a grill.

If using your smoker, you'll need to allow time to come up to the higher temp. So raise the temperature to 375-400°F around 20-30 minutes before the end of the cook.

Smoking chicken on a pellet grill, such as a Traeger, makes this process easy. You can simply leave the chicken on the grill and raise the cooking temperature using the controller on your smoker. For coal or wood fired smokers, you'll need to fully open your vents and possibly add more fuel.

What to Serve with Smoked Chicken

This whole smoked chicken is juicy and flavorful and can be served with or without barbecue sauce. It can also be shredded and served as pulled BBQ chicken.

For sauce options, use your favorite BBQ sauce or check out my North Carolina Style vinegar barbecue sauce or my Alabama White Sauce. Both are great with smoked chicken.

Smoked chicken pairs well with most traditional barbecue cookout side dishes. For baked beans, try my Instant Pot Baked Beans or my Smoked Baked Beans. My Creamy Bacon Mac and Cheese is another tasty option. And you can't go wrong with my Southern Style Coleslaw or Broccoli Salad.

More Smoker Recipes

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