Smoked Chicken

If you’re looking for a way to get a lot of meals out of one cooking session, this smoked chicken is one of my go-to recipes.  My wife and I often make a couple of chickens when we know we have a busy week ahead, and we’ll eat the wings, drums, and thighs fresh off the smoker before using the rest of the meat in whatever meals we have planned.  The smoky chicken works in everything from salads and BBQ sandwiches to pizza, pasta, and enchiladas, which means one afternoon of cooking can set you up with several completely different dinners.  And because it all happens on the Traeger, my wife gets the bonus of a kitchen that needs little cleanup afterward.

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Ingredients:

2 whole chickens

BBQ rub (I like Dan-O’s Sweet and Tangy)

8 cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly smashed

1 medium sweet onion

1 lemon

2 bunches of thyme

1 cup of dark brown sugar

½ cup of kosher salt

3 quarts of water

A few handfuls of ice

Canola oil

Recipe:

  1. Make the brine by heating the water in a large pasta pot and mixing in the salt and dark brown sugar until dissolved.  Add ice to cool the brine before pouring it over the chicken.

  2. Place your chickens in a 2-gallon zip-top bag, then pour the brine over them.  Get as much air out of the bag as possible so the chickens stay fully submerged.  

    **TIP: I’ve found that putting the zip-top bag with the chicken in a large Dutch oven, so it sits upright while it brines, helps prevent the brine from leaking into your fridge.

  3. Let the chicken brine for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours in the fridge.

  4. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees.  

  5. Take the chicken out of the fridge and pat it dry, then set aside.

  6. Cut your onion in half, then cut each half into thirds.  

  7. Cut your lemon in half, and then quarter each half.

  8. Peel your garlic and smash it slightly with the side of your knife.

  9. Fill the cavity of each chicken with a bunch of thyme, garlic, onions, and finally, lemons.  

    **TIP: This order helps keep everything in the cavity without tying the bird closed. 

  10. Coat the outside of the chickens in canola oil, then add your BBQ rub or whatever other seasoning you are using.  I like to let the rub sit on the chicken for 30-45 minutes to get better adhesion and penetration.

  11. Insert your wireless meat thermometer (I use a Meater) into the chicken.

  12. Put your chicken on the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (the bones will finish cooking while it rests).  

  13. Let the chicken rest for about 30 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!