Smoked Chicken
Smoked Chicken with Mustard BBQ Sauce is a delicious meal to add to your menu this week. A simple recipe for busy weeknights or to make ahead for sandwiches.
Smoked Chicken
If you are looking to change up your weekly dinner routine, try adding smoked chicken to the menu. You can spend a little time grilling over the weekend and enjoy several meals using your smoked chicken.
Whole chickens are so simple to cook in the smoker or on the grill. The secret to the best smoked chicken is to brine your chicken.
Chicken Brine:
Brine your chicken in a simple salt water brine for at least one hour or up to 6 hours. We like to use 4 quarts of warm water with 1 cup kosher salt. Then you have the option of adding peppercorns, fresh lemon slices, fresh garlic and any herbs that you like. Granulated sugar is also a popular addition.
How to Make a Smoked Chicken:
- Brine whole chicken for up to 6 hours.
- Drain chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
- Rub Mustard BBQ Sauce under skin and all over outside of the chicken.
- Prepare grill or smoker to 300° fire.
- Place chicken over indirect heat and cook with the lid closed for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours .
- Internal temperature should read 165° in the thickest part of the chicken when it is throughly cooked.
- Remove chicken from grill or smoker and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.
Ingredients for Mustard BBQ Sauce:
- prepared yellow mustard
- brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- dried rosemary
- onion flakes
- garlic powder
- black pepper
- kosher salt
Recipe for Mustard BBQ Sauce
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze leftover chicken in a freezer container for up to 2 months.
Preferred Wood for Smoking Chicken:
- Pecan
- Oak
- Hickory
Save your chicken carcass and make the most delicious chicken stock. If you are not making stock right away, just place the carcass in a zip top bag and refrigerate up to 2 days.
It is just as easy to smoke two chickens as it is one. We will often cook two at once to meal prep for the week. Smoked chicken has endless dinner options.
Think about using smoked chicken in any dish that you would use a rotisserie chicken. By smoking your own chicken, you will know just what it is seasoned with and you can control the salt and spice level of your chicken.
Meal Ideas For Smoked Chicken:
Smoked Chicken and Black Bean Chili has tons of flavor and comes together really easily when you have smoked chicken on hand. A hearty meal perfect for busy weeknights or game day get togethers.
Chicken Sandwiches topped with Creamy Coleslaw on toasted buns.
Chicken Quesadillas – layers of smoked chicken and melty cheese between toasted tortillas.
You might also like these Brown Sugar Smoked Chicken Thighs for an easy weeknight dinner!
FOLLOW OUT GRILLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM * TWITTER
If you love this Recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Pinterest!
Smoked Chicken
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 4 quarts warm water
- 1 cup kosher slat
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- ¼ cup peppercorns
For the Chicken
- 1 whole chicken about 5 pounds
- ½ cup Mustard BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Using a large stock pot, add water and kosher salt and mix until salt is dissolved. Add in lemon and peppercorns.
- Submerse chicken in brine, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 6 hours.
- Drain chicken well and pat dry with paper towels.
- Spread Mustard BBQ Sauce under the skin and all over the outside of the chicken.
- Prepare a grill or smoker to a 300° fire.
- Place chicken over indirect heat and cook 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until internal temperature in thickest part of chicken reaches 165°.
- Remove chicken from grill and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Is there a way to make this in the oven – I don’t have a grill or smoker.
I’ve made this in the oven as my husband did not want to get the grill out of winter storage yet. I’m sure it will be better using the grill but it was great in the oven! I used the standard baking time for chicken, preheat to 350 and cook ~20 minutes per pound basting every 40 minutes.
Thank you
I stuffed some rosemerry sprigs and half an onion up its bottom. was delicious on grill with some some smoker chips.
Sounds amazing!