Smoked Whole Chickenis tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to smoke meats — or wondering how long to smoke a whole chicken — then this easy recipe is the perfect way to get started!
We’re excited to share this recipe for smoking a whole chicken with you. Don’t have a smoker? You can make awhole chickenin the slow cooker as well.
I love the crispy skin and smoky flavor of this tender meat. The cooking process is super simple, and I swear it makes the best smoked chicken recipe.
No matter if you like dark meat or white meat, and no matter the size of the chicken, the smoking process is a great option for making juicy chicken every time.
Be sure that you have a digital thermometer or an instant-read thermometer so that you can check the internal temperature of the cooked chicken.
Check the temperature of the thickest part of the breast to make sure that it’s cooked all the way.
You’re looking for a reading of 160-163 degrees for the chicken to be cooked and ready to rest.
Smoked Whole Chicken
The first smoked foods we made were asmoked meatloafand a side ofsmoked baked potatoes. At that point, we were hooked!
This is hands-down, one of the easiest ways to cook a whole bird. Rub on a blend of spices, let it marinate overnight, then stuff the cavity with citrus and herbs before smoking.
It’s ready in about an hour and is sure to be the most tender, flavorful chicken you’ve ever eaten. Plus, there’s plenty to feed the whole family or to serve guests.
Recipe Video
Watch the video in this post to learn how to smoke a whole chicken on a pellet grill!
If you don’t want to cook a full bird, I also have recipes for chickenquarters,thighs, and evenwings.
They all come out just as tender and flavorful, perfect for any weeknight meal.
Are you regularly feeding a crowd? Use your smoker to make a juicypork tenderloinorchuck roastas well. You can even cook awhole turkeyin there!
Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry.It’s important to remove any excess moisture so the rub has a better chance of sticking to the surface.
It also makes the meat less slippery to handle!
- Want a milder flavor?While the cayenne pepper brings a nice warmth to the skin, you can leave it out entirely if you are sensitive to spice.
- Separate the skin from the meat.Taking an extra minute or two for this step will make applying the rub so much easier.
Just slip your fingers gently under the skin to separate it from the meat.
- Let it rest!If you cut into the bird too soon, all of the juices will escape onto the serving tray instead of redistributing throughout the meat.
- Be careful when slicing.The smoked whole chicken will still be very hot despite having rested, and you don’t want to burn your fingers.
How Long to Smoke a Whole Chicken
The size of the bird and the temperature of your smoker both determine how long it will take for it to cook.
When smoking a whole chicken on a pellet grill, I find that 350°F is the sweet spot for juicy meat that is also ready quickly.
At that temperature, a 2-pound chicken is done in about 60-80 minutes.
If you prefer to cook it low and slow, it will take noticeably longer. Plan on aboutan hour per pound for smoked whole chicken at 250°F.
Cooking time may have a lot of wiggle room for larger chickens, so be sure to monitor the internal temperature and use that as a guide.
Once a probe thermometer reads 160-163°F, it’s ready!
Internal Temp Guide for Smoking a Whole Chicken
All poultry is considered done and safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Insert ameat thermometerinto the thickest part of the thigh to get the best reading. Be sure the probe isn’t touching any bones or hasn’t poked through into the cavity.
There are alsowired cooking thermometersthat allow the probe to stay in the smoker the whole time.
This gives you the most accurate, minute-by-minute reading without needing to open the smoker lid multiple times to check.
Because the temperature will continue to rise as the meat rests, you canremove the bird from the smoker once it reaches 160°F.
What You’ll Need For This Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe
- Smoker– Wood pellet varieties allow extra flavor to be infused into whatever you’re cooking.
- Your favorite flavor wood chips– I lovethis blendand use it for just about everything.
- BBQ Tray– Use this for both marinating the bird and transferring it back inside once it is done.
- Meat Thermometer– A digital version will be easiest to read, and be sure it’s the kind that can stay inside the smoker the entire time.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, there isn’t much thatdoesn’tpair well with smoked poultry. For a simple meal, add a green salad or your favorite roasted vegetables.
All of mypasta salad recipesare great for a cookout, and you can’t go wrong with a big plate of homemadesweet potato fries.
And kids go wild for thisrainbow fruit salad.
If you’ve got enough room in your smoker, you can toss in somepotatoesorcorn on the cobtoo.
Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe FAQ
How do you keep chicken moist when smoking?
When you smoke a whole chicken, or any meat for that matter, it’s important to brine it first. There are two different kinds — wet and dry.
A wet brine is exactly as it sounds: salt and water are mixed together and used as a soak for the meat. Some people like to use broth or stock for the liquid, but salt is really the most important ingredient.
This smoked whole chicken recipe calls for a dry brine, which simply means coating the poultry with salt and other spices. It’s refrigerated with this rub overnight to help lock in both the flavor and juices, giving you perfect results when cooked.
Why does the dry rub go under the skin?
For flavor! This way, the spices are in direct contact with the meat, and the skin acts as a barrier to hold it all on.
Placing the dry rub under the skin also helps prevent that top layer from getting too dark or crispy.
Can I make smoked whole chicken on a grill instead?
With something like a Big Green Egg, absolutely. Soak the wood you want to use at least 2 hours beforehand, or up to overnight.
Then set the grill to indirect cooking and heat it to 350°F before following the recipe directions.
Can I add other seasonings on the outside of the chicken?
You bet! You can add olive oil and seasonings like black pepper, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, or even your favorite BBQ sauce to this recipe. Season it your favorite way!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Smoker Recipes
Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe + Video (Pellet Smoker)
Donna Elick
Smoked Whole Chickenis tender and juicy with perfect crispy skin. Use our recipe and watch our video for tips on smoking whole chicken!
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course Main
Cuisine American
Method Smoker
Servings 4
Equipment
cotton butcher’s twine about 2 feet long
wood chips or pellets
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds whole bone-in chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
For Cavity
- 1 large lemon, cut into wedges
- 1 small white onion, sliced
- 1 fresh sage leaf
Instructions
Whisk all dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Remove chicken from packaging. Empty the cavity and rinse with cold water. Use paper toweling to pat it dry.
Place dry chicken on a rimmed sheet pan.
Drizzle olive oil all over skin of the chicken. Apply the dry rub in between the skin and the meat. Sprinkle some in the cavity and apply the remainder of the rub all over the top of the chicken.
Use butcher's twine to tie legs of chicken together, then tuck the wings so they don’t burn.
Cover the seasoned chicken with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
At Time of Cooking
Preheat the smoker to 350°F. and prep using your favorite wood chips or pellets. I use pecan on my pellet smoker, but maple, hickory and mesquite are also amazing.
Stuff the cavity of chicken with lemon, onion and sage.
Place the chicken in the center of the smoker and insert probe of cooking thermometer (if using).
Smoke for 60-80 minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 162°F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil.
Allow chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes, or until internal temperature of meat at the thickest portion of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Remove butcher's twine, empty contents of cavity, and carve as desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Cook Time for Smoking Whole Chicken
If you are smoking a larger bird, plan on a longer cook time. It takes approximately 30-40 minutes per pound at 350°F, or 1 hour per pound at 250°F. for a whole smoked chicken to cook to an internal temperature of 160-163°F.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ounces meat | Calories: 311cal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 3568mg | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally published April 2021, updated and republished June 2024
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