Smoked BBQ Chicken

This Smoked BBQ Chicken recipe transforms a whole roasting chicken into poultry perfection. The meat stays juicy and tender with a kiss of hardwood in every bite. Here’s how to use your smoker to make this incredible smoked chicken for your next backyard barbecue, potluck, or family gathering.

I am of the opinion that one can never have too many great smoker recipes. From Spicy Armadillo Eggs as a starter to rich and creamy Smoked Mac ‘n’ Cheese side dish and a salad with smoked cherries. It’s the real full meal deal!

Smoked BBQ Chicken

This recipe is designed to be simple. Whether you’re new to smoking or have been cooking this way for a while, this barbecue chicken recipe is for you. It all starts with resting the well seasoned chicken in the fridge. This helps to dry out the skin, allowing it to get extra crispy during smoking.

Next, the chicken slowly smokes over a low temperature, absorbing all that smoky flavour. 

Once the internal temperature of the chicken thighs hit 165 F, it’s time for finishing sauce. High heat plus your favourite BBQ sauce equals DELICIOUSNESS. FYI, the barbecue sauce locks in moisture preventing the chicken breasts from drying out and glazes the crispy skin.

Even more great news… you can smoke chicken on any kind of smoker. Try it on anything from a barrel shaped charcoal grill (like a green egg) to a pellet grill, and even a gas grill if you have the right smoking tools.

My son has the rotisserie chicken game on lock down, but this Smoked BBQ Chicken is on another level. I like to make two at a time so that there are plenty of leftovers for lunches during the week. Prepping two is almost the same amount of work as one!

What is the Best Wood or Pellet Flavour for Smoking Chicken?

Chicken is a blank canvas, which is both a blessing and a curse. Because chicken is so lean and mild, it absorbs smoke much faster than a thick beef brisket or a pork shoulder. If you use the wrong wood, your chicken will taste less like backyard BBQ and more like an ash tray.

Fruit woods (like apple and cherry) or nutty/sweet woods (like pecan or maple) compliment chicken without overpowering the mild meat. Hickory packs a punch and may overpower chicken unless combined with a fruit wood (try 70/30 mix of Apple and Hickory).

Avoid heavy hitters like Oak and Mesquite. These are better used in a quick grilling application rather than with a low and slow method.

Ingredients for Smoked BBQ Chicken

To make this recipe you’ll need a small bowl, a rimmed baking sheet with a rack, a basting brush, your favourite wood for smoking chicken, and a smoker.

• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Smoked Paprika
• Chili Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Smoky BBQ Sauce
• Whole Chicken

The backbone of flavour in this recipe is the spice mix, or rub. Add a teaspoon of finely ground black pepper for heat, brown sugar for sweetness, Kosher salt, smoky paprika for extra smoke flavour, plus chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. They all combine to create the perfect BBQ chicken seasoning.

Choose a BBQ sauce that will compliment these flavours, we like a mixture of smoky and sweet with a little bit of heat.

This recipe was tested with a 5 lb chicken.

How to Make Smoked BBQ Chicken

To begin, mix the brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper together in a small bowl. Next, place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and rub the oil on the chicken evenly then sprinkle evenly with the seasoning mixture.

Lay the chicken, breast side up, tie the legs together with kitchen twine, and tuck the wings under the body. Place chicken in the fridge, uncovered for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. 

Preheat the smoker to 275 during the last 30-45 minutes of this resting time.

To smoke the chicken, place it directly on the grates of the smoker, close the lid and smoke for about 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until the internal temperature of the thighs reaches at least 165 F. 

Next, increase the smoker temperature to 325 F and baste the whole chicken in BBQ Sauce. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thighs reach 175 F. 

Remove chicken from the smoker and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• If you use normal table or sea salt, use half the amount.
• Some smokers don’t heat up to 275 F. If yours doesn’t, you can smoke at a lower temperature. It will still work out but needs just a little longer in the smoker. 
• Let the chicken rest before slicing or the chicken won’t be as juicy and yummy.
• Letting the chicken sit in the fridge for a few hours will help the chicken skin dry out a bit so it can get crispy in the smoker. 

Storing the Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you want to freeze leftovers, allow the chicken to cool to room temperature then remove the meat from the bones. Freeze in freezer bags or vac seal for 3-4 months.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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