Smoked Whole Chicken

Name: Smoked Whole Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 10 h
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: American barbecue
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, 4–5 lb; 1 tbsp kosher salt (for the dry brine; skip it for kosher chicken); 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 tbsp Lemon Herb Poultry Rub or another poultry rub

Smoked chicken has a reputation for rubbery skin, and it's usually because the smoker was too cool. The fix is simple: dry brine the bird, then smoke it hotter than you would pork or beef. You get juicy, smoky meat and skin you can actually bite through.

Prep15 min

Dry brine8–24 hrs

Smoke1½–2½ hrs

Smoker300–325°F

Serves4–6

Dietary notes

Gluten-freeSugar-freeHalal-friendly*Kosher-friendly*

Gluten-free and sugar-free: As written, with the Lemon Herb rub or another no-sugar, gluten-free rub.
Halal: Use a certified halal (zabiha) chicken.
Kosher: Use a certified kosher chicken and oil rather than butter. Kosher chickens are already salted during koshering, so skip the dry-brine salt and use a salt-free rub.

* Depends on certified ingredients or a simple swap. See the notes above.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 4–5 lb
1 tbsp kosher salt (for the dry brine; skip it for kosher chicken)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp Lemon Herb Poultry Rub or another poultry rub

Wood: apple, cherry, pecan or maple. Strong woods like hickory and mesquite can turn bitter on poultry skin. Short on time? Spatchcock it and it cooks about 30% faster.

Instructions

Dry brine. Pat the chicken dry inside and out. Season all over with the salt, then refrigerate uncovered on a rack for 8–24 hours.
Season. Rub with oil and season all over, including under the breast skin. Tuck the wing tips behind the back.
Fire up. Bring the smoker to 300–325°F. This higher heat renders the fat so the skin crisps.
Smoke. Place the chicken breast side up, insert a probe into the thickest part of the breast, and close the lid.
Check doneness. After about 1½–2½ hours (less if spatchcocked), the breast should read 165°F and the thighs 175–185°F.
Crisp (optional). If the skin needs more color, raise the heat to 400°F or more for the last 10 minutes, or finish over direct heat for a couple of minutes on a grill.
Rest and carve. Rest 10–15 minutes, then carve.

Food safety: chicken is safe at 165°F. Check the thickest part of the breast and the thigh without touching bone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Gear I use

Thermapen ONE by ThermoWorks

A whole bird needs two readings, breast and thigh. A fast instant-read gets both quickly so the breast doesn't overcook.

See it at ThermoWorks

Want other methods? Read How to Grill a Whole Chicken or try Beer Can Chicken.