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Smoked Chicken is juicy, tender, and packed with deep, smoky flavor, with crispy bronzed skin that everyone fights over. A simple overnight brine and a low, slow smoke turn a whole chicken into the best backyard dinner. If you love cooking a whole bird, you will love this as much as our beer can chicken.
Brine a whole chicken overnight, rub it with seasoning, stuff it with aromatics, and smoke it low and slow for the juiciest, smokiest bird.
Smoked Chicken Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 585kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Deeply smoky, savory, and juicy
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy and hands-off, like our beer can chicken
Quick Answer
Make a simple brine of water, salt, and honey, cool it with ice, and brine a whole chicken overnight in the fridge. Pat it dry, rub it all over with bbq rub, and stuff the cavity with lemon, garlic, onion, and thyme. Smoke the chicken at 225 degrees until the internal temperature in the breast reaches 160 degrees, then rest it 15 minutes before carving your juicy smoked chicken.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The brine keeps it juicy. An overnight salt and honey brine seasons the meat all the way through and locks in moisture.
- Low and slow does the work. Smoking at 225 degrees gives the chicken time to soak up smoke and stay tender.
- Aromatics build flavor. Lemon, garlic, onion, and thyme in the cavity perfume the meat from the inside out.
- That crispy, bronzed skin. Patting the bird dry and rubbing on seasoning gives you beautiful, flavorful skin.
- It feeds a crowd. One whole smoked chicken serves the family with leftovers for sandwiches and soups.
- It is mostly hands-off. Once the chicken is on the smoker, the smoker does the work while you relax.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is incredibly juicy and tender, thanks to a simple overnight brine that seasons the whole bird.
- Low and slow smoking gives it deep, irresistible smoky flavor and crispy, bronzed skin.
- It is an easy, impressive way to cook a whole chicken, right alongside our beer can chicken.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for the juiciest, smokiest whole smoked chicken.
- Whole Chicken: a 5-pound bird is the star. A whole chicken stays juicier on the smoker than pieces.
- Salt and Honey: the base of the brine. Salt seasons the meat and honey adds a touch of sweetness and helps the skin brown.
- BBQ Rub: a flavorful spice blend rubbed all over the skin for a savory, smoky bark.
- Lemon, Garlic, and Onion: stuffed in the cavity to perfume the meat with bright, savory flavor as it smokes.
- Fresh Thyme: a generous bundle in the cavity adds herby, aromatic depth to every bite.
- Ice: stirred into the hot brine to cool it down quickly before the chicken goes in.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This smoked chicken is easy to make your own.
- Switch the rub: use a Cajun, jerk, or lemon-pepper seasoning in place of the bbq rub.
- Try different wood: apple and cherry wood give a sweeter smoke, while hickory is bolder.
- Glaze it: brush on barbecue sauce in the last 30 minutes for a sticky, saucy finish.
- Spatchcock it: remove the backbone and flatten the bird for faster, more even smoking.
- Make it a meal: serve it shredded over our grilled chicken favorites and sides.
How to Make Smoked Chicken
- Make the brine by stirring water, kosher salt, and honey in a large pot over high heat until dissolved, then take it off the heat and stir in the ice until melted.
- Submerge the whole chicken in the cooled brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight so it seasons all the way through.
- Prepare your smoker and preheat it to 225 degrees. Take the chicken out of the brine and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the bbq rub all over the outside of the chicken, rubbing it into the skin for a flavorful, smoky bark.
- Stuff the cavity with the sliced lemon, halved garlic head, onion, and thyme sprigs, then tie the legs together with twine.
- Place the chicken directly on the smoker grate, close the lid, and smoke until the breast reaches 160 degrees. Rest 15 minutes before carving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip the brine; it is the key to a juicy, well-seasoned bird from the inside out.
- Pat the chicken very dry before adding the rub so the skin crisps and bronzes nicely.
- Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken at 160 degrees in the breast for perfectly cooked meat.
- Let it rest 15 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute and stay in the meat.
- Keep the smoker steady at 225; a consistent low temperature gives the best smoky, tender result.
- Save the carcass to make a rich, smoky homemade stock for soups later.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Smoked chicken is a showstopper carved at the table with all the crispy skin and juicy meat on display. Serve it with classic barbecue sides like coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread.
It is perfect for a backyard cookout or an easy Sunday dinner. Pair it with grilled vegetables and a fresh salad for a complete smoky feast, like serving up our grilled chicken wings at a party.
Use the leftovers in sandwiches, tacos, salads, and soups all week. Smoked chicken is just as versatile as our crispy fried chicken and slow cooker chicken thighs for easy meals.
Smoked Chicken FAQs
A 5-pound whole chicken smoked at 225 degrees takes about 4 to 5 hours, but always cook to temperature rather than time. The chicken is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 160 degrees, then it rises to 165 while resting.
Smoke the chicken low and slow at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. This gentle temperature lets the meat absorb plenty of smoke flavor while staying tender and juicy. Keep the smoker steady throughout the cook for the best, most even results.
Brining is highly recommended. The overnight salt and honey brine seasons the chicken all the way through and helps it stay incredibly juicy during the long smoke. If you are short on time, even a few hours of brining makes a noticeable difference.
Fruit woods like apple and cherry give a mild, slightly sweet smoke that pairs beautifully with chicken. For a bolder, more traditional barbecue flavor, use hickory or pecan. You can also blend woods to create your own signature smoke.
Pat the brined chicken completely dry before adding the rub, which helps the skin crisp instead of steam. Smoking at a steady temperature and, if you like, bumping the heat up at the very end also helps render the fat for crispier, bronzed skin.
Store leftover smoked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat gently in a covered dish in a low oven with a splash of broth to keep it moist, or shred it cold for sandwiches, salads, and soups.
Love cooking a whole bird? Fire up our easy beer can chicken next.
Whole Smoked Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup honey or sugar of your choice*
- 2 quarts ice cubes
- 5 pound whole chicken
- 3 tablespoons bbq rub
- 1/2 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic cut in half so the cloves are exposed
- 1/2 white onion cut in half
- 20 thyme sprigs
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over high heat, add the water, salt, and honey. Stir to combine, cook just until the honey and salt are fully dissolved.3 quarts water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1 cup honey
- Take off the heat and add the ice cubes. Stir until melted.2 quarts ice cubes
- If the pot is large enough to hold the chicken, place the whole chicken directly into the pot with the brine. If it is not large enough, transfer the brine to a large container and add the chicken.5 pound whole chicken
- Cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- Before smoking, prepare your smoker per the manufacturer’s instructions and preheat to 225°F.
- Take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the rub all over the outside of the chicken and rub it into the skin.3 tablespoons bbq rub
- Stuff the cavity with the lemon, garlic, onions, and thyme.1/2 lemon, 1 head garlic, 1/2 white onion, 20 thyme sprigs
- Tie the legs together with twine and place directly onto the grill of the smoker.
- Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature when checked with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F. Take the chicken off the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Video
Notes
- Pat the Chicken Dry: Before applying the rub, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick and promotes crispy skin.
- Room Temperature: Let the chicken sit at room temperature for a bit before smoking.
- Choose Your Smoker Wisely: Whether it’s a pellet grill, charcoal smoker, or something else, pick the type of smoker you’re comfortable using.
- Don’t Rush the Chicken Rest: After cooking, let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes on a cutting board.
- Experiment with Wood Chips: Try different wood chips like apple, cherry, or hickory.
- Check with a Digital Thermometer: A digital thermometer or instant-read thermometer is key for best results.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I like to use Hickory.
I’m curious if you experimented with different types of wood chips for this recipe. I’ve found that applewood gives a wonderfully subtle sweetness that pairs really well with chicken, but sometimes hickory can
We tried this recipe for the first time and the chicken turned out so delicious. I will always use this recipe from now on for Smoked Chicken.