This Smoked Whole Chicken is juicy, deeply seasoned, and smoked to perfection. With these simple steps you can easily smoke a whole chicken that taste delicious.
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We have been using our Smoker more on the weekends for delicious and Easy Smoker Recipes. This smoked whole chicken is tastes like you spent all day smoking because of the delicious brine, spice blend and fruity wood chips.
Smoking chicken is my favorite meat to smoke because it always turns out so flavorful. If you have made Smoked Bone-in Chicken Breasts, Smoked Chicken Legs, Smoked Chicken Wings or Smoked Chicken Thighs then you must try smoking a whole chicken.
What's in this post: Smoked Whole Chicken
Why You’ll Love Smoked Whole Chicken
- Juicy and Never Dry – A quick dry brine seasons to the bone and locks in moisture.
- Easy to Prep – Set the smoker, brine and season the chicken and let the smoker do the rest.
- Crispy Skin Finish – These simple steps always results in a crispy skin and juicy center.
- Amazing Leftovers – Serve the leftovers and make sandwiches, tacos or add to your favorite salad.
- Company Worthy – Serve this smoky flavor chicken with grill corn and a simple slaw, and you’ve got a company-worthy dinner with backyard barbecue vibes and hardly any cleanup.
Ingredients
- Whole Chicken – We smoked about a 4-5 lb whole chicken
- Avocado Oil – Use oil of your choice
- Kosher Salt – You can also use regular salt
- Brown Sugar – See How to Make Brown Sugar
- Black Peppercorns – Gives a slightly spice taste. You can use black pepper
- Optional – Garlic Cloves, Lemon Slices, Fresh Herbs
- Dry Rub – Simple Spices include smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper
Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details
How to Smoke a Whole Chicken
Step 1 – Combine water, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then cool to room temperature. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2 – Remove chicken from the wet brine, rinse, and pat dry. Coat with avocado oil.
Step 3 – Rub the combined spice rub onto the entire chicken.
Step 4 – Heat smoker with wood chips. Place chicken in the smoker and smoke for 3-4 hours. Remove whole smoked chicken and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Smoked Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken about 4-5 pounds
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
For the Brine:
- 1 gallon water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- Optional: garlic cloves lemon slices, and fresh herbs (like rosemary or thyme)
For the Rub:
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine water, kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then cool to room temperature. Add optional garlic, lemon, and herbs. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove chicken from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Coat with avocado oil.
- Mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Rub over the entire chicken.
- Heat smoker to 225-250°F. Use wood chips like hickory, apple, or cherry.
- Place chicken in the smoker. Smoke for 3-4 hours until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Pro Tips
- Coat Chicken – For the best flavor make sure to coat the whole chicken completely with the seasoning dry rub.
- Rest Chicken – After smoking the chicken, allow the chicken to rest which helps to lock in the juices for a tender and juicy chicken.
- Advance Prep – You can easily brine the chicken up to 2 days in advance for a deeper flavor. Make sure to keep it refrigerated.
Flavor Variations
- Lemon Pepper – Substitute the dry rub spices with 2 tsp of lemon pepper seasoning with fresh lemon zest.
- Fresh Herb and Garlic – Mix 2 tablespoons of softened butter with minced garlic and fresh herbs and rub over the whole chicken and even under the skin.
- Spicy Maple – Brush the chicken with 2 Tbsp maple and 1 tsp of hot sauce during the final 10 minutes for a spicy and sweet flavor.
Serving Recommendations
Smoked Whole Chicken can be served with many different side dishes and BBQ sauce for dipping. These are some of our favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smoking time will vary but our whole chicken took about 3-4 hours to fully cook. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. We recommend inserting in the thickest part of the breast.
Different woods give the chicken different flavors. Apple wood and cherry give a sweeter, fruiter smoke while you might like to use hickory, pecan or mesquite for a traditional BBQ flavor. Feel free to use your favorite wood chips to achieve your favorite flavor.
We think it is necessary to brine the chicken for the best flavor. It also helps to keep the chicken moist throughout the cooking process. We suggest not skipping this step.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Fridge – Store the leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. We recommend placing the sliced pieces of chicken with the juices.
- Freezer – Freeze the leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to serve.
- Reheating – Reheat the leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. To keep the chicken moist while reheating pour a splash of broth in the pan.
More Easy Smoked Meat Recipes
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