How to Make the Best Smoked Chicken

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken
• 1 Wood Pellets of your choice

  applewood is delicious
• 1 1bsp Olive Oil

  extra virgin
• ½  Cup Kosher Salt
• ½  Cup Splash of Vinegar
• ½  Cup Sugar
• Spices and Herbs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

• 1 For best results, brine your chicken. This is optional and only if you have time
  however it does make a HUGE difference in the flavour of the meat after it is
  smoked. 
• 2 Begin by filling a large pot with lukewarm water, enough to fully submerge or
  cover the bird. Bring to a boil and add approximately half a cup of kosher salt.
• 3 Do not use table salt as the chicken will come out salty! You can add other
  spices or herbs at this point too. Let the pot simmer until the salt is
  dissolved. Cool and add your chicken to the pot.
• 4 Refrigerate until ready to smoke. I recommend at least 3 – 12 hours or about one
  hour per pound of meat.
• 5 Start your smoker! Add in your wood pellets and then preheat your smoker to 250
  degrees F.
• 6 Mix together the homemade BBQ rub spices.
• 7 Season the whole chicken with the spice blend. Blot your chicken dry using a
  paper towel and then drizzle the bird with olive oil and rub the homemade BBQ
  rub on the outside of the chicken and on all sides. Loosen the skin and add a
  dry rub between the skin and meat as well.
• 8 Prep and truss the chicken/turkey. Use butcher twine to tie the legs together.
  Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulder joint.
• 9 Smoke that bird! Place the seasoned chicken directly on the grill grates. Close
  the smoker and smoke for 3-5 hours depending on the size of your bird. You’ll
  want the thickest part of the breast to reach 160-165 degrees F, and the chicken
  thighs internal temperature reaches 170-175 degrees F.
  
  For a turkey, it's good to plan 30 minutes per pound when you smoke it between
  225-250 degrees F. It takes a 13-pound turkey about 7 hours in the smoker for
  the digital thermometer to reach 165 degrees F in the turkey breast and 175
  degrees F in the turkey thigh.
• 10 Remove, slice, serve and ENJOY that amazing smoke flavor!

Nutrition Info