Smoked Bone-in Chicken Breasts

We love using our smoker to cook our favorite meats. They always turn out so delicious and makes meal prep even easier. If you have made our Smoked Chicken Tenders, Smoked Chicken Thighs, Smoked Chicken Legs, Smoked Chicken Wings, Smoked Whole Chicken or Smoked Chicken Breasts then you are going to love smoking bone-in chicken breast.

The simple dry rub packs the chicken with flavor and you will love how crispy the texture is. If you love Smoker Recipes as much as my family, make sure to check out these The Best Meats to Smoke and these Smoker Recipes for Beginners.

Why We Love Smoked Bone-in Chicken Breasts

• Juicy Chicken and Never Dry – A quick dry brine seasons to the bone and locks in moisture.
• Big Smoke Flavor – Set the smoker to 225°F to cook the chicken then finish off with a high temperature for crispy skin.
• Meal-Prep Friendly – Slice the chicken for salads, bowls, sandwiches, or tacos to meal prep for the week.

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts – We used Skin-On, Bone-In Chicken Breast
• Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
• Dry Rub Blend – We used brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and black pepper

Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details.

How to Make Smoked Bone-In Chicken Breast

Step 1 – Preheat a smoker with a water pan to 225 degrees F.

Step 1 – Stir the dry rub ingredients together in a large bowl.

Step 2 – Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the chicken.

Step 3 – Then rub the olive oil and rub mixture onto both sides of the chicken breasts and under the skin on the chicken breasts as well to get on the meat of the chicken.  

Step 4 – Place the chicken directly on the grates in the smoker, skin side up.  

Step 5 – Cook the chicken for 2-3 hours depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F.

Step 6 – Turn the smoker up to high heat – 400-425 degrees F.  Cook the chicken at the higher temperature for 45-60 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. 

Step 7 – Remove the smoked chicken breast from the grill rack and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then it’s ready to serve and enjoy! 

Pro Tips

• Cooking Chicken – Use an instant-read meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked to a safe temperature before removing it from the smoker.  The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees when it is finished cooking.
• Adding Wood Chips – Make sure to add chips to the smoker every 15 minutes if your smoker does not have an automatic feature.  
• Prepare Smoker – Preheat the smoker before placing the chicken on the grill grates.

Flavor Variations

• Lemon Pepper – Omit the sugar and add in 2 tsp lemon pepper with fresh zest for a delicious and fresh flavor.
• Cajun – Swap rub for 1½ Tbsp Cajun seasoning for a tasty variation.
• BBQ Sauce – When you are finished smoking the chicken finish with brushing with BBQ Sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Smoked Chicken is delicious served with these easy side dish recipes.

• Smoked Mashed Potatoes
• Smoked Corn on the Cob
• Smoked Asparagus
• Smoked Tomatoes

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Fridge – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezer – Place the leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
• Reheat – Place the leftovers in a baking dish and reheat in the oven 300°F or at 350°F in the air fryer until warmed through.