main-dishes

Smoked Whole Chicken

This Smoked Whole Chicken is deeply flavorful, juicy, and wonderfully aromatic with fruit wood smoke, garlic, and sweet apple notes permeating every bite. The bird is first soaked in a classic salt–sugar brine to ensure tenderness, then stuffed with a bright, fragrant mixture of chopped lemon, onion, apple, and garlic before being rubbed with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Slow-smoked over apple or other fruit woods, the chicken develops a bronzed exterior and a moist interior that pulls apart easily. Perfect served hot for dinner, with BBQ sauce as an alternative to smoked pork, or chilled the next day to make exceptional smoked chicken salad.

Servings: 1 whole smoked chicken
Total Time: 920 min

Ingredients

Smoked Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken (3–5 lb)
  • 1 lemon, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (for color)
Basic Brine
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 cup kosher or sea salt (or 1/2 cup iodized salt)
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the brine by combining **1 gallon water**, **1 cup kosher salt**, and **1 cup brown sugar** in a large container. Stir until dissolved.
  2. Submerge **1 whole chicken (3–5 lb)** in the brine and refrigerate for **at least 8 hours or overnight**. Longer brining (up to 24 hours) enhances juiciness.
  3. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse lightly under cool water. Pat the **3–5 lb chicken** dry with paper towels and place it on a tray.
  4. In a bowl, combine **1 chopped lemon**, **1 chopped onion**, **1 chopped apple**, and **2 chopped garlic cloves**. Add **1 tablespoon salt**, **1 teaspoon black pepper**, and **2 tablespoons olive oil**. Stir to combine.
  5. Stuff the prepared mixture of **lemon, onion, apple, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper** into the cavity of the chicken.
  6. Rub **2 tablespoons olive oil** over the entire chicken skin. Season evenly with **salt**, **1 teaspoon black pepper**, and **1 teaspoon paprika** for color.
  7. Prepare your smoker or grill for **indirect cooking** at approximately **250°F**. Place the chicken away from the direct heat source.
  8. Add fruit wood—preferably **apple wood**—to the coals or smoker box to infuse the chicken with a sweet, smoky flavor.
  9. Smoke the chicken at **250°F** for **3–5 hours**, depending on size. Continue smoking until the internal temperature in the **thickest part of the leg reaches 170°F**.
  10. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for **20 minutes** before slicing or pulling. Resting allows juices to redistribute.
  11. Serve hot with BBQ sauce if desired, or refrigerate leftovers for making smoked chicken salad.

Notes

  • Fruit woods like apple or cherry give the chicken a sweet, subtle smoke that complements poultry beautifully.
  • A well-brined chicken resists drying out, making it ideal for long smoking sessions.
  • Leftovers make excellent **Smoked Chicken Salad**.
  • Internal temperature for dark meat (leg and thigh) can safely go to 170–175°F for optimal tenderness.
  • If your smoker runs cooler or hotter, adjust cook time accordingly.

Tags

main-dishes chicken smoked bbq grilling