Smoking meat is my absolute favorite way to cook it. Learn how to capture that delicious, smoky goodness with my guide to smoking a whole chicken.
There are few types of meat that cook as well as a whole chicken.
Sure, that takes a long time, but that’s part of the barbecue for grilling.
When BBQ smokers cook low and slow, the relatively modest heat allows the juices in the meat to carry flavor and allows the flavors of the wood chips to permeate the meat for a richer, rounder flavor.
It’s unlike anything you’ve tried before.
To smoke a whole chicken, it should be cooked to 107°C(225°F) and take about 45 minutes per pound of meat. This can take a total of 2-4 hours, but it occurs temporarily when the internal temperature of the meat reaches 75°C(165°F).
Why should you cook your whole chickens in a smoker?
Just hear it, the quality of the finished product is far superior to any other form of cooked chicken, whether it’s fried chicken or store bought. Whole smoked chicken is the must have in your life today.
It’s wet. It’s juicy and, ha, it’s smoked.
Compared to other forms of chicken, it’s also great for leftovers, which can be used in a variety of recipes from burritos to salads to soups.
If this is your first foray into smoking meat, be sure to check out my list of the best meats to smoke .
Be careful, it’s a long process. However, it promises to be worth the wait. Grill lovers will love the satisfying smoking process, while everyone will be proud of the fantastic results. How to smoke a whole chicken.
Low and slow
When it comes to smoking, we often talk about “low and slow”, and that’s exactly what it sounds like: low cooking temperatures and long cooking times. Nowhere is this more true than with a whole chicken.
What we achieve with this process is that we allow the chicken to absorb the wood’s rich smoky flavors while we let the chicken cook in its own juices. Anyone who has cooked Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey knows how the latter can bring out the flavors of the meat.
Recommended to cook chicken at 110°C/225°F for best results. Cooking time will likely start with the size of the chicken, but I recommend smoking about 45 minutes per pound of chicken. Make sure to check regularly, however, as this time may still vary, so keep checking until the chicken is fully cooked. If you want to be a little more specific, try using a meat thermometer and inserting it into the meatiest part of the chicken(usually the breast). We want to aim for around 160°F/70°C
Need to defrost your chicken quickly? How to defrost chicken quickly .
Chicken at Salt Lake
The danger of overcooking chicken is that it’s likely to dry out, and as anyone can attest, dry chicken isn’t fun.
To counteract this, I recommend salting the chicken before smoking. Salting meat is one way to keep it moist and tender before roasting, and it’s especially important for meats that are prone to dehydration, like turkey and… you guessed it… chicken.
Simply hear, curing is a process where you soak meat in salt water. This stimulates the meat to absorb water, keeping it juicy as it cooks.
If you’ve never tried salting, check out my guide to salting chicken wings .
Root
A crucial but often neglected part of cooking meat is seasoning, and the same goes for smoking meat.
You can easily season with just salt and pepper depending on your own taste preferences, but I recommend investing in a dry seasoning. There are countless types of dry rubs, and you can even make your own. While you can choose any flavor combination you like, I urge you to be consistent with the chicken and choose an appropriate one that pairs perfectly with the meat.
If you want to make your own massage, here is a simple recipe:
- 3 tablespoons oil(rapeseed, olive or extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire willow
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder or garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tea spoons of ground thyme
- 2 tablespoons chilli powder
- 2 tea spoons of peppers
- 2 tea spoons of black pepper
When YOU apply the dressing, cover the chicken completely as much as possible, and don’t forget to rub it into the inner cavity as well.
Equally crucial is separating the chicken breast skin from the meat by pulling on it. YOU should rub in the spices here in between so we can get the flavors into the meat as much as possible. There are no trade offs here.
Collection and processing of wood chips
Any experienced griller will tell you that combining the right type of wood shavings with your chosen meat is key to achieving the best results. Different wood chips give off different flavors that help infuse your chicken with their flavors. Choose the perfect type of wood chips and you can perfectly accentuate the flavor profile of your food.
Recommend trying something fruit-based, like apple, cherry, or peach. Check out my guide to the best woods for smoking chicken.
To get the smoker fired, soak the wood chips in water for at least an hour(but no more than two!) before smoking. Soaking wood chips allows them to grill longer than if they were dry.
Get them going
Just like with an oven or charcoal grill, we need to light our smoker. If you’re using a charcoal smoker, turn it on at least 30 minutes in advance. Just like with a grill, we want to wait until the embers have turned completely black to a slightly grayish ash-like color.
Remove the soaked wood chips from the water and follow the excess water. Wrap them in an aluminum foil bag. Make holes in the top for ventilation and to allow smoke from the chips to escape. If you are using a charcoal smoker, place this pouch on the coals immediately. If you use an electric smoker , make sure you use it according to your smoker’s directions.
Remember that one bag only lasts 90-120 minutes. If you also need a much longer cooking time, & you prepare at least one more bag of wood chips to wait later. For a whole chicken, I recommend preparing at least two servings.
Place the chicken in the smoker
Finally the fun part. Place the whole chicken in the smoker. If the smoke vents are adjustable, open them 50% to 75% and try to position them over the top of the chicken. This will help draw the smoke into the chicken before it escapes the smoker.
Check your chicken about once an hour, but make sure you don’t check your chicken more than once. There is a risk that too much heat will be lost from the smoker and the poultry will dry out.
The entire smoking process takes about 45 minutes per pound of chicken. In most cases, about 4 hours for a medium sized chicken will die.
How long does it take to smoke a chicken?
To smoke a whole chicken, it should be cooked to 107°C(225°F) and take about 45 minutes per pound of meat. This can take a total of 2-4 hours, but it occurs temporarily when the internal temperature of the meat reaches 75°C(165°F).
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
