Smoked Stuffed Chicken {250F Whole Bird Recipe!}

 Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe

Is there anything prettier than a browned bird?

I’ll never forget the first smoked whole chicken I ever tasted.  It was on vacation and my father in law cooked it.  When I saw how pink the meat was I first thought it was undercooked.  Then I took a bite and realized it was pink from the 8 hours of smoke.  It was the best chicken I had ever eaten.  I was immediately addicted.

I’ve smoked more whole chickens than any other item, by a very large margin.  You can usually find them for less than $1/lb, they don’t take a ridiculously long time, they’re relatively healthy, and holy wow are they good.  This is an easy one for you to get really good at, really fast.

Prepare the Chicken for the Smoker

We want to get as much flavor into the bird as possible before it ever hits the smoker.  In order to accomplish this we are going to brine the chicken and then stuff the cavity with aromatics.

Brine the Chicken for Four Hours

First and most importantly, brine the chicken for at least four hours and overnight if possible.  Use my Basic Brine Recipe.

Keep the chicken refrigerated while it is brining.

Take your chicken out of the brine and rinse with cool water.  Set on a tray.

If you do not have enough time to brine the bird then you can take a shortcut by injecting the chicken.

Stuff and Season the Chicken

Chop the lemon, onion, apple and garlic cloves.  Throw them in a bowl and mix together with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Now take the happy mixture you just made and stuff it inside the chicken.  This is going to add flavor and moisture from the cavity of the chicken in a way that you can’t believe.

Stuffing for Smoked chicken

Rub olive oil all over your bird.  This will help give it a nice golden brown color.  Then sprinkle salt and pepper all over, and a light dusting of paprika for color.

You’re now ready to light your coals.  But first, wash your hands and go grab your favorite drink.  You deserve it.

Uncooked Chicken with Stuffing

Smoke the Stuffed Chicken

Set up your grill for indirect cooking (or use your smoker).  Place your bird away from the heat, and throw a bunch of wood on your coals.  Stick with fruit wood – apple is a good pairing with chicken.  Feel free to mix it up to your particular tastes.

Assuming your grill holds its temp around 250F, and depending on the weight, your chicken will cook for 3 – 5 hours.  You want an internal temperature in the leg of 170F.  Obviously if the bird is bigger or your heat is lower, it will take longer to reach this temperature.  Be patient.  It’s worth it.

Two Smoked Chickens

Let the chicken rest for at least 20 minutes before pulling apart or slicing.  Oh, and when you pull the leg off, and it comes clean, and delicious juices pour out – it’s ok to giggle.  Now please, enjoy.

And the leftovers can be put to such good use.  My wife, Patti, has shared some of her leftover smoked chicken recipes. The tastiness she creates is illegal in 27 of the contiguous states.  And when you’re all done, take that carcass and make Smoked Chicken Broth for a little slice of heaven next time you make soup.

Let me know how it goes when you try this recipe for your next smoked whole chicken.  If you haven’t tried brining or stuffing the cavity before, I really think you’re going to be thrilled with the results.  Now go enjoy browning that bird!

Smoked Stuffed Chicken [250F Recipe!]

A whole chicken is brined, stuffed with aromatics and smoked at 250F for about four hours until an internal temperature of 170F is reached in the leg.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1, 3-5 lb chicken
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 onion
  • 1 apple
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Olive Oil

Instructions
 

  • Brine the chicken – overnight if possible.
  • Chop the lemon, onion, apple and garlic cloves. Throw them in a bowl and mix together with salt, pepper and olive oil. Set aside.
  • Take your chicken out of the brine and rinse with cool water. Set on a tray. Now take the mixture you just made and stuff it inside the chicken.
  • Rub olive oil all over your bird. This will help give it a nice golden brown color. Then sprinkle salt and pepper all over, and a light dusting of paprika for color.
  • Set up your grill for indirect cooking (or use your smoker).
  • Place your bird away from the heat, and throw a bunch of wood on your coals. Stick with fruit wood – apple is a good pairing with chicken. Assuming your grill holds its temp around 250, and depending on the weight, your chicken will cook for 3 – 5 hours. You want an internal temperature in the leg of 170. If the bird is bigger or your heat is lower, it will take longer to reach this temperature.
  • Let the chicken rest for at least 20 minutes before pulling apart or slicing.

Notes

How you position the chicken on your smoker is going to depend upon the direction of the heat flow. You want the thighs/legs to be closest to the heat and the breast to be farther away.
In an ideal world you want the chicken to reach 165F in the breast and 185F in the thigh but this can be tricky to pull off. Reaching 170F in the leg is an acceptable compromise.
The finished chicken will have a pink ring around the outside and an increased redness at the bone joints. Do not worry about these colors as they are the result of smoking and do not indicate that the chicken is undercooked.
Keyword Smoked Stuffed Chicken

322 thoughts on “Smoked Stuffed Chicken {250F Whole Bird Recipe!}

  1. Does it matter if I don’t mix the stuffing and just put in as I cut it up? It’s all just steam flavor right? I just cut each thing up and shoved it in until no more room.

  2. I put 2 chickens in the basic brine yesterday afternoon. Just finished stuffing them and putting in my Pit Boss 820 pellet smoker. This looks like an amazing recipe and my family is really excited to try it!

  3. Ok…first try. Only chickens available yesterday were “free range” chickens. Fairly small but thought I’d give it a try anyway. Brined overnight with your mixture and put on smoker. 3 ½ hours later we had the juiciest and best tasting chickens ever. Rotisserie chickens have nothing on these. I was wondering if you could do a small turkey that way and how long it should take at 250 degrees.

  4. Kevin,
    I must admit that I was a tad bit skeptical when I saw this recipe, but after trying it both my wife and I are firm believers! We dropped a bit of brown sugar in the brine, and added a couple of other items to it. Other than that, we kept the recipe pretty much the same. Thanks for such a wonderful idea! BTW, we pair this style of smoked chicken with some paprika noodle salad and some savory onion baked beans. Seems like there are never any leftovers…so it must be great! Thanks again!!

  5. I like the looks of your recipe and looking forward to trying. How do you get such a nice color on your bird? I have a Weber Smoky Mountain and whenever I smoke chickens they come out very, very dark, almost chocolate-colored. It’s mostly an aesthetic thing, the flavor is pretty good. But would be more appetizing if I could get the color you have here.

    1. Look at a few of my other chicken recipes and you’ll find my secrets. You can cover it in foil or bacon after it reaches that perfect color you’re looking for. Basically just have to protect the skin once it hits that perfect color.

    1. Depends on your smoker – mine will cook two in the same time as it cooks one. Most will, unless they’re in different spots on your smoker and get different amounts of heat.

  6. Awesome as usual. I have been using your recipe for over a year now and the only addition I have made is some rosemary and time to the fruit mixture. I started with smoking two birds each time but now I am up to eight each time because every time I smoke them everybody wants to take one home!! My son wants the recipe so I sent him to your site. Thanks again!

  7. This is one fantastic recipe sir! My word! I have tried and thoroughly enjoyed your pulled pork and “award winning” chicken thigh recipes so I’m not surprised this one was great too… Thank you for sharing!

  8. I will be smoking 2 5-6 lb chickens today. I’m using pecan wood ( a limb that fell off a few months ago) trying ur suggestions and may try the bacon idea. Usually u can take ur bird and put in the oven for the last 30min to hour to crisp the skin.

  9. Awesome! I used this receipe as I have never smoked a chicken before and it turned out amazing. The only change I made to this was I had to use Hickory wood as I did not have any Apple left. My wife and son couldn’t get enough of it. I say everyone should try this out. Thank you for the receipe.

  10. I have 2 5# birds in brine now for tomorrow. Stuffing one with your recipe. The other I’m using all your ingredients but adding a couple diced up chipotles and adobo. Cooking them one my Good One Open Range smoker. I’ll post how they turned out.

  11. This is my first whole chicken ever!
    It is on the smoker for the 4th of July as we speak, and I followed the recipe to T. 2 simple changes I’m hoping don’t screw this bird up.
    #1 Used a beer can seasoning to season the bird (Weber Beer Can chicken seasoning) used salt and pepper as directed for the stuffing.

    #2 I have a treagar smoker and I set the bird in an aluminum trey with the bottom covered in beer 1-2 inches. I used Coors light.
    Have you ever though or herd of this? Ill let you know how it turns out, but I was thoroughly impressed by the reviews here, and if I don’t enjoy my twist on it, I will try again following every direction. Thank you for an EASY and hopefully delicious recipe.

  12. Kevin,
    I just tried your recipes, both Brine & the chopped fruit and veggies and it was delicious! I have a question about the leftover brine. Can I use it again on another chicken in a couple days? Or is it a one-time use?
    thanks!

    1. Louie – Personally I would be fine using it again, but there may be some “food safety code” out there that says to immediately pitch anything that has raw chicken in it. I would think if you’re just doing chicken, it would be fine.

  13. followed your recipe to the letter on a 9 # yardbird. wfe said it’s best chicken she ever ate. i’m a hero and a legend in my own mind. thank you so much! 2nd time i ever smoked any thing. i’m hooked!

  14. Hi there,I read your blogs named “Smoked Whole Chicken” like every week.Your story-telling style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing! And you can look our website about proxy list.

  15. 5 stars for receipt.. I did this receipt on Saturday.. And my family absolutely loved it.. My wife has made it very clear this is the only way she wants her chicken from now on..

  16. Absolutely delicious! We thought Smoked salmon was our favorite till I made this. My wife turned the left overs into smoked chicken soup. Mmmmm
    I used oak, apple and cherry wood. Smoked it for about 3 1/2 hours between 250 and 300. Thanks for the recipe.

  17. I agree with the others, this was the best chicken I’ve ever had. Is the skin usually tough on smoked chicken? This was my first time smoking anything and the skin was not edible. I’m wondering if that’s from smoking or if it’s these birds from a local farmer. The meat was delicious.

    1. I never eat the skin, so it doesn’t bother me. However, if you want to keep it from getting too tough, you’ll need to protect it from the smoke. After an hour or so, when you’re happy with the color of the skin, cover it with tin foil or bacon – or something else you prefer – to protect the skin and keep it moist.

      1. Bacon! Did you say bacon? Did you suggest I cover a bird in the smoker with bacon? Are you trying to kill me? I fainted dead away at the mere thought of such a treat. Prep the bird. Drink beer. Smoke for one hour and drink another beer. Apply bacon, open another beer and get a loaded weapon in your fist – the neighbors will be comining over the fence.

  18. Smoking three chickens with the recipe today for the fire house, big eaters! We’ll see how they come out! Thanks for sharing.

  19. Thanks for sharing, this was a great recipe and got me heading in the right direction. Had been wanting to smoke a whole chicken but wasn’t sure where to start. This was excellent! I had planned on having leftovers, but given how good the bird turned out, there just weren’t any! Think I’ll make two next time!

  20. I am going to try 4 birds this weekend and I was wondering if it matters if the apples, garlic and lemon should be cold or room temp. when stuffed in the birds and placed in the smoker or does it not matter. Did not know if it would alter smoking time. Thanks. So looking forward to trying this!

      1. The 4 birds turned out fantastic! I used the stuffing cold and it took 7 hours at 225 degrees in my Great Outdoors Rocky Mountain smoker with apple wood. Next I am going to sandwich the apple onion garlic mix between two racks of pork ribs tied together and see how that turns out. I will use the same sugar salt brine I used on the chickens from your site. Thanks again! Tom

  21. Hello!
    In a few days I will be getting a Kingsford Charcoal Water Smoker (can’t afford the more expensive ones) with lump charcoal and wood (Mesquite, perhaps? Depending on what they have available). I do plan on doing 2 chickens (one for freezer!) with this recipe. It sounds great! I do love poultry. Turkey is a personal favorite.
    I have a question that perhaps you can answer:
    1. Is there a problem with Kingsford Charcoal Water Smoker that I should be aware of? I’ve read both good and bad reviews. Just wondering.
    The main goal here is to stock up my freezer with home cooked/smoked goods since it’s just me, a dog and a cat.

    1. First – be careful with Mesquite – it’s a potent wood!
      Second, I don’t know of any problems with that particular smoker. Every smoker has its positives and negatives – the key is to get to know your smoker and all its quirks. Once you’ve cooked on it a few times, you’ll figure it out, I’m sure.
      Remember to season it before you put meat on it by coating the inside with oil and letting a load of coal and wood burn through it empty!

  22. Freaking fantastic chicken first time I made it with some ribs and a pork loin in the smoker doing three today to bring for a party everyone who has tasted it falls in love a must try recipe

  23. Wow is all I can say… I made 4 chickens following your recipe, chucked them into my newely built UDS, smoke d with applewoid and a bit of hiccory, and watched with glee on how easy the smoking was. Checked the ladies after 2 hours all was great, turned them, drank more beer. The smell was intoxicating, it was all I could do to stop my wife and friends from ripping them apart before they were ready.

    The chickens were delicious, had a couple of best testing chicken I’ve ever hads, even one child who is a very fussy eater devoured as much chicken as was put on his plate.

    We were all stuffed and very satisfied. Thanks so much for sharing this recipient, I will be making it again in 2 weeks.

  24. Used this recipe for my very first smoked anything on my electric grill. My girlfriend and her co worker said this was the best chicken they ever had. Smoking two more today. Thanks for sharing

  25. My chicken is brining now. Going to smoke it tomorrow, using this recipe, but my special rub instead of just salt pepper and paprika. Can’t wait to try this tomorrow night! What sides are recommended?

  26. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your amazing outta this world recipe. You made it so simple to follow & the results were nothing short of spectacular!
    This was my first attempt at smoking anything, being an Aussie we love our BBQ but smoking meat is something new, although is becoming more mainstream thanks to you American’s & your passion for bbq & smoking!

  27. My kiddos love chicken (slow cooker from family especially).. I’ve always been a bit shy about using the smoker (except for ham), but i just started the coals and wood. The chicken is stuffed with the apple, onion and garlic. Outside is seasoned and rubbed with olive oil. This was an easy recipe to work with. I can’t wait to see how it turns out! Thank you for posting.

  28. I’m used to slow roasting chicken in the oven, but after seeing this recipe I think I’ll fire up the smoker and surprise hubby tonight. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll come back and give you family reviews from My ever opinionated food critics! Wish me luck :0)

  29. Best Chicken ever amen hands down…..This was are first time smoking a chicken. And there will be no reason for us to look at other reciepes. Fantastic recipe and thank you for sharing.

  30. I have had this and it was fantastic, I was wondering if this would work for a 16 pound turkey, I do realize that it will take a lot longer.
    Any suggestions?

    1. Bruce – absolutely. I cook turkeys with the same process as chickens. I just change the stuffing…celery, onion, rosemary, sage…more…”turkey-ish” flavors inside. Otherwise, the process from brining to injecting to cooking is the same – just longer, as you said.

      1. Thanks Kevin, turkey came out perfect, I was a little worried about the cooking time. So I kept the smoker at about 250 the 16 pound turkey was done in 4 and 1/2 hours. Just brined not injected.
        Everybody loved it, most said the best they have ever had

  31. I have used this recipe twice, for a third time today, and it’s great every time. I added my own spice rub today just to personalize the taste, but it’s a great recipe!

  32. Good afternoon guys i am so happy to tell you all i smoked my first 15 pound TURKEY and i could not i repeat the taste was so awesome i did not believe i done it!!!!!! Everyone that taste it wanted me to do them one they could not believe it was my FIRST TIME SMOKING ANYTHING LOL!!!! I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU KEVIN AND JOHN AND THE REST OF THE SMOKING FAMILY FOR ALL THE GREAT TIPS!!!!!! I GUESS I AM ON MY WAY TO BEING A GOOD COOK LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Kevin i have a CHAR-BROIL VERTICAL CHARCOAL SMOKER I WANTED TO KNOW IF I COULD SMOKE FOUR WHOLE CHICKEN IN MY SMOKER WITHOUT A PROBLEM? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

    1. Demetrius – I have a Backwoods vertical smoker and it handles 4 chickens with no problem. Just be aware of the heat source – mine is hotter at the top than the bottom, so the birds on top finish before the birds on bottom – unless you rotate.

      1. Seconded; should be easy to handle, I’ve done multiple birds on several occasions. I would recommend getting a pair of silicone BBQ gloves so you can rotate the birds easily without burning yourself.

          1. And for the love of God, people, use your probe thermometers (the kind you leave in that connect to a separate LED display)! They’re cheap and absolutely essential to getting the perfect temp.

  34. First of all, thanks for the work you’ve done here. As a beginner I found your instructions very understandable, clearly written and easy to follow.

    One novice mistake I made was starting out with way too much charcoal, such that it was difficult to keep the temperature down to 250. Next time I’ll use about half what I started out with. The birds finished in about three hours instead of the four hours I’d planned.

    Also, I may have used too much applewood in the smoke. I’ll know better after a couple more practice rounds, but about how much wood do you recommend using? These were chips, not chunks. I suppose up to a point it’s just a matter of taste plus trial and error.

    Anyway, my birds came out very moist, well-flavored and beautifully browned. Couldn’t have done it without you…

    1. Larry – thanks so much for your kind words. And you are absolutely right about the wood – it’s a matter of taste plus trial and error! Less is usually more – especially with poultry. Beef can take a lot more smoke. Pork is somewhere in the middle.

    2. I had a few issues with my first run but all the ones after were amazing.

      First mistake I made was not stuffing the bird which lead to over-smoking and drying the meat due to smoking the cavity also.

      Second mistake (I use a digital electric smoker with chips) was closing down the damper on the top of the smoker. Less is more, you want the smoke to gently kiss the bird on it’s way out the top of the smoker, not stay in the smoker. Was my very first time smoking anything.

      I smoke my birds from start to finish due to letting the excess smoke out of the smoker and the shorter cook time. Either way this post was the most amazing thing to happen to my most amateur days smoking meats. This is still my go to for smoked chicken, wouldn’t change a thing!

  35. I have a master built smoker and have been loving it for years smoking everything from cheese to bacon to brisket. I have done small fryers but I have never done a whole 6 3/4 lb roaster. How long do you think it would take? I still can’t quite get my timing down for a few things and I want to make sure that it’s done when I need it to be! Thanks in advance for any advice or ideas!

    1. I usually get the big chickens done in about 5 hours when smoking at 225-250. I’ve also gotten them done in 2 hours when cooking at 350. So it just depends on what temp you’re cooking, but if you’re cooking at the lower smoking temps, I’d say 5-6 hours to be safe.

    1. I used to, but haven’t much lately. I think basting is a great idea – though I’m not sure how much gets through the skin once it’s been smoking. Those pores close up and lock the juice in, so I’m not sure now much flavor can get in from the outside. That’s why I stopped basting. I just encompass the bird with flavors everywhere before I start cooking it, then let it alone to smoke!

  36. OOOMG…an amazing recipe.. The brine, the stuffing, the whole smoker chicken. We did two and they were amazing. Follow the plan and you will be happy.

  37. Thank you, Kevin. I did 4 whole 5 1/2 lb chickens today, following your recipe exactly. Took 5 hours in my MES 30. They were perfect.

  38. Hey Kevin. Great information, thanks. I’ve smoked quite a bit of pork shoulder and some brisket. Chicken a hand full of times. When I smoke chicken, they come out almost black and the skin is so smoky that it is not good eating. They turn out way darker than the photo of the smoked chicken on this webpage. The meat is real tender, juicy and it is smoky, maybe a little too much. Do you have any recommendations? Am I using too much wood and not enough charcoal? What ratio do you recommend? Or is it the type of wood? Though I have tried several types. I have thought about wrapping them when they turn brown and not black yet, but I read the comment below that you shouldn’t have to wrap chicken. Thanks!

    Brandon

    1. Brandon – a couple ideas on getting a better skin: Smoke at a higher temp for a shorter period of time so it’s exposed to the smoke for a shorter period. The other thing I do is, after about an hour of smoke, I drape bacon across the breasts to protect the skin, and slow the cooking so the thighs can get done. If neither of those work, you can tent the top of the chicken with tin foil to protect it.
      Good luck!

      1. Kevin, on the skin, what about smoking @ 250 for the majority of the time and only using a single batch of wood chips (ie not replacing them when they’re done, less actual smoke this way), then cranking it up to 325 for ~30 minutes at the end to crisp up the skin? I’ve never smoked poultry and I’m trying to come up with a hybrid procedure of my own, based on a bunch of different recipes I’ve read.

        1. John – I think that’s a great strategy and should work well. Or reverse that and start with high temps, then slow down. Either way should result in good skin.

  39. Work has transplanted me to Alabama and I have become a big fan of white bbq sauce with smoked chicken.

    Have you much exposure to white bbq sauce?

    Do you have a suggested recipe?

    1. Benjamin – I do NOT have a suggested recipe – other than to look up the white bbq sauce recipe for Big Bob Gibson BBQ. They are the standard in that sauce, and they are my only exposure to it. Very tasty – very different.

  40. Have made this chicken several times now, in fact gonna do it again tomorrow! It is wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

  41. Also, im using a Weber Genesis as a smoker, what side of the bird goes on the grill? Do you recommend I rotate the chicken during cooking time? Im making this on the weekend!

    1. John – Cooking time shouldn’t change too much with 1 bird vs 2. You might want to rotate if one part of your smoker is hotter than another part, so they finish at the same time. I always cook breast side up – but I don’t think it matters too much. I like to drape bacon across the breast meat after an hour or so to keep it extra moist and slow down the cooking so the thighs are done at the same time.
      Have fun!

  42. Smoking with a Weber smokey mountain cooker. Do you recommend filling the water pan with water? My concern is this may make the skin rubbery.

    1. I’ve done it both ways. If the chicken is on the top rack of your wsm, you won’t have an issue with rubbery skin. It gets blasted up there! Either way, you’ll have great results.

  43. I am going to make my first attempt for July 4th! I am planning on using foil trays. Is this the way to go or do I put the chickens directly on the grill?

  44. AWESOME! Very good method. The simplicity of the rub lets the chicken flavor really shine. I smoke 3 five pounders, and with only 6 people eating there were NO leftovers. It was that good. I used a mix of 1/2 water and 1/2 white soda salt and some garlic powder for the brineand let it soak for 24 hrs. It added a sweet note to the meat. Try it!

  45. Kevin H. My hats off to you. 2nd time smoking and this was a hit. Family already begging me for more. The only thing I did different was instead of brining, injected it with a creole butter. Fantastic, thanks again

  46. kevin, i brine my whole chicken with salt,sugar soy sauce ,and olive oil. overnight. is it necessary to rinse before smoking?

  47. I prefer to add seasoning to the brine rather than items in the cavity during smoking. I add things like thyme, chipotle chile, garlic powder, onion powder. I find it cooks more evenly without all that stuff in the cavity.

    1. I definitely agree on adding flavor to the brine. I disagree on it cooking unevenly with the cavity stuffed. I’ve cooked hundreds of chickens this way with zero issues, and you can’t replicate the flavor integration that comes with stuffing the cavity during smoking. The meat turns out phenomenally juicy and filled with whatever flavors you stuff inside.

  48. I love this recipe. I smoked chickens the first time I used my smoker and didn’t have the greatest results. After that I got online and did some research and found this. OMG so good! I always do two at a time so there is a whole bird left over for smoked chicken salad. My wife and I use some diced apple, chopped salted cashews, diced cucumber with mayo and cream cheese to make the salad with the left over smoked meat. Makes awesome wraps or sandwiches (or if I don’t think I’ll get caught I just grab a spoon!).

  49. I’m about to smoke a chicken for the second time, this will be my first time using this recipe. In other smoking I have done, I found that sugar burns at a low temperature, I wonder if this is why some are saying the skin is tough, although I like an almost crunchy skin, so my question is, should I try the brine without the sugar?

    1. Bruce – you can absolutely try that. Sugar is definitely not necessary in the brine. I’ll be curious to see what you think.

      1. Don’t omit the sugar. Rule of thumb is one-to-one sugar to salt. If you omit the sugar, you will get a very salty tasting bird. The salt keeps the meat moist and the sugar balances the flavor. You rinse off the brine before cooking. There is no sugar left on the skin of the bird to burn.

  50. Just made this chicken again today for the third time! This is the best recipe I’ve found for my smoker by far. We all love it! It is easy, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious. So glad I found this recipe!

  51. Finally got my smoker!! Went to Giant and they had oven roasters on sale, buy one get one free! Going to brine for 12-18 hrs. Tomorrow will use my smoker!! Are these oven roasters good for smoking, or do you usually use the smaller ones?

  52. I cook whole chickens on a akorn kamodo grill, it never takes more than 1 and a hour and a half from the time I set it on the grill to when internal temp reachs 165 degrees.I place them on a can holder stand that takes a 12oz can filled with hot water.I keep grill temp at 300 degrees by the gauge on the lid.they always turn out good.

  53. I am getting a weber smokey mountain 181/2″ charcoal smoker! This looks like a great recipe for 1st time use. Figured I would do 2… Does outside temperature make much difference in cooking time. Also, if you need to add coals do you put them in chimney starter 1st or right out the bag?

    1. Hey Shawn – chicken is the perfect first recipe to try! First I should mention, before you cook on it, wipe down the interior of it – all of the black – not the grates – with vegetable oil and burn it out with some charcoal and wood for a few hours. This will burn off all the impurities, the “stuff” they used to construct your smoker. THEN it’s ready for use.
      And yes, the outside temperature will effect the WSM. You’ll need to mess with the vents to keep it at your preferred temp – around 250 or so. And you can just add black charcoal to the already lit charcoal in the WSM. No need to prelight it. You’ll love using it – let me know how it goes!

  54. A great, simple recipe. Thanks so much. This was my first smoke in a new Vision Kamodo grill. I brined a 5 lb chicken for about 3 hours, then rinsed and stuffed, and placed (still well chilled) in the kamodo. I had a lot of trouble getting the temperature below 300 degrees, so ended up smoking for 3 hours, mostly at 290 or so, and dropping to maybe 250 at the end of 3 hours. I figured the higher temp would cook the bird quicker and pulled it out at 3 hours – it was perfect! The skin was not tough as some reported, but just a tad crispy, breast meat was moist and tasty and so was the dark meat.
    Thanks for helping this first-timer succeed!

  55. I just got my smoker about a month ago, and this is the first time I have done poultry in it. What amazing results! Your instructions were super easy to follow. I brined the birds from 6-10am this morning, rinsed them, stuffed them, and by the time my Bradley smoker was heated up, it was 11:00am. By 2:30, they were done and up to an internal temp of 170F. 2 birds, about 5 lbs each. The flavour is perfect! Intense, but not overbearing and not too salty! I am surprised by how tough the skin is, though. Does all poultry do this in a smoker? Like I said, this was my first “fowl” attempt, and I’m glad I didn’t foul it up!

    Great website! I’ll be back to visit, for sure!

  56. This year I have learned to Smoke Brisket Smoke Pork Butt. But hands down This chicken has just a ton of flavor and smoke and I like smoke. My wife is from Mexico and we had Mexican tacos with the smoked chicken and wow. I followed your recipe but did 2 chickens about 2 months ago halved them and vacuumed sealed with the chicken juices. They are fabulous. I am brining two more tomorrow on Halloween and Saturday they go on the smoker thanks

  57. Just finished dinner having smoked this for the first time on my gas grill. What can I say. Awesome tasting chicken. Followed the recipe exactly, 4 1/2 hours for a 5lb bird. My son has requested the leftovers for his school lunch tomorrow. Will be doing this again and looking to do a lot more. Thank you.

  58. Absolutely amazing. Best chicken I’ve ever cooked. 3.5 hrs for 2 4lb birds was perfect. Followed everything else to a T. This one is a must eat

  59. We smoked a whole chicken and the dark meat was so tough we couldn’t eat it. The breast was awesome. What did we do wrong. We did not brine the chicken first.

    1. That’s surprising! Usually it’s the breast meat that dries out, not the dark. Only thing I can think of is maybe the legs were closer to the heat than the breasts? Not sure what else could have gone wrong…

  60. Kevin,
    I have this site saved to my favorites on my web browser, pretty much have the recipe memorized but its great to have it forthe comments. I use an electric smoker with wood chips, usually end up doing a 5-6lb bird. A buddy of mine turned me onto smoked paprika, its a great addition to the final rub. Not sure about injecting the meat, mine usually come out juicy as all get out, so it has never occured to me. Today I am going to slip some fresh basil, thyme, and sage leaves under the skin before rubbing and smoking.

    Also, best chicken soup I have ever made was with a boiled carcassof a smoked bird. Smokey, salty, savory. Perfect

    Thanks for a very clear, concise, enjoyable site to use.

    Chris

  61. Wow did one Chicken two weeks ago and this morning I have put two 5 lb birds on one for my wife and I and one to half up for friends. So So flavorful and I smoke mine longer with a lower heat just love the smoke flavor. I too heat my brine but I also add a few things to it. Love it on the smoker..
    Thank you

  62. I was looking for a recipe for whole smoked chicken and was intrigued by your recipe. I followed the directions except I boiled the brine first to dissolve the salt and sugar, brought it to room temperature then started a 2 day brining. I also used my smoker rather than indirect heat in a enclosed grill.
    WOW! What an awesome result! I smoked two 5 pound chickens and now I’m hooked! The chicken was exploding with flavor and moist beyond belief! OUTSTANDING!

  63. Just made this recipe for my wife and 3 boys (7,9,11). I’ve never heard so many adjectives come out of their mouths before!! Was a little worried because my grill that I used to smoke it got up to 300, but it came out super juicy and delicious 4.5 hours later!

    1. Am I missing something ? I read where people are cooking chicken for 4 + hours at 250 and I feel that might be a bit too long. Grant you, when I smoke/cook a chicken on my cooker I am cooking a Spatchcocked Chicken. Why would it take 4+ hours to cook a chicken ? I guess stuffing the chicken might take it longer but aromatics are just going inside the cavity. Thanks.

      1. Gary –
        Not sure what to tell you exactly – each smoker is different, the size of the bird, how you cook it – they all play a part. Spatchcock chicken definitely cooks faster than a whole stuffed chicken. The birds I cook also are usually around 5lbs. I’ve cooked a 5lb bird in as quickly as 2 hours on my Weber, and as slow as 8 hours on my Backwoods Smoker. Both turn out great!

    1. I try to keep breast meat at 170 or lower. 165 is my preference. One of the ways I do that is tent the breast meat with foil, or drape bacon across it. The main thing is you don’t want to overcook the breast meat.

  64. My first smoked chicken omg loved it loved the lemons the meat was so tender and juicy I made broth withe the rest everyone loved it

    1. I think a rotisserie would work great with a smoked whole chicken. I would still do all the prep – inject, stuff – and then adding the rotisserie element should be excellent.

      1. Family went nuts over this one. I stuffed mine with slices of Orange and lemons with an alternating mixture of bell pepper, onion diced. A full head of garlic minced. a couple tea spoons of white wine salt and pepper. Seasoned the outside with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

        I use a pellet smoker and it took about 4 hours at 250.

        1. I use the beer can method. or stands. On a smoker those two work better and with beer can method you can put liquid of your choice in it to help keep the bird even more moist.

  65. I pull mine and put in a small ice chest for serving. Stays at a perfect temp for a long time. Great in flour tortillas or pulled and made into quesadillas!

  66. WOW!
    Two weekends in a row with this. Awesome recipe. I’ve done several beef and pork cuts in my smoker since I got it a couple of months ago and I am almost embarrassed to admit that this chicken has taken a definite lead.
    Thanks for sharing this!

    1. Absolutely. I’ve used an electric smoker and thrown wood chips right on the heating elements. Works great, no problems. I will say, I think the bigger chunks work better than the chips.

    1. I don’t touch the chicken once it starts smoking. No need. The skin holds all the moisture in once the smoker starts doing its thing!

  67. Hi, do you truss your chicken as well? I like to truss, and am going to do this. I guess: Brine, Stuff, Truss, rub with olive oil, in that order?

  68. First attempt at smoking a whole chicken (actually smoked two) and this is the best thing I have ever smoked. Great recipe! Will be doing this many times in the near future!

  69. I smoked 2 chickens this weekend using my Smoke Hollow Electric Smoker. I brined them for about 12 hrs. The meat on both chickens came out mushy. Temp was about 250, skin was not crispy and they were in the smoker from noon to 4:30ish. What makes the meat mushy?

    1. Donna – I’m not sure what the answer to that question is. I’ve never had my chicken meat end up mushy. The only thing I can think of is that it wasn’t all the way done.

  70. This was my first smoked Whole Chicken and boy this recipe was great. It was so juicy and taste great.
    Thank You Kevin

  71. Just made this today with two birds in my Brinkman charcoal smoker (ECB?). No mods to the smoker yet (hopefully this weekend) and only my second time smoking ANYTHING. Now I have to wait till dinner to eat these bad boys while my mouth waters the rest of the afternoon. They smell soooooo good! If they taste half as good as they smell….

    Here is a pic of the birds right out of the smoker: http://imgur.com/v89Mmck

      1. So delicious! We ran through both birds between 4 adults and 4 children. Even the kids loved em! Will definitely make these again once I get my smoker tuned up a bit so I can control temps easier. Thanks for a great recipe!

  72. I like to put the smoked bird in a very hot oven for 15 – 20 minutes after I pull it from the smoker to get the skin very crispy. I then let it rest before separating. Still juicy and the crispy skin adds another dimension.

  73. first time smoking the whole chicken do you rap it in aluminum foil? Breast up or you need a chicken stand until rap?

    1. Definitely never wrap chicken. The skin is protection enough and you want to make sure the smoke can penetrate! And I always cook breast up.

  74. I tried this recipe yesterday for a family BBQ. It was amazing! I did 2 4lb birds, brined them overnight on Friday and then just followed your steps. Came out perfect! The skin was crisp and delicious. Everything just fell off the bone. And the meat was so moist and smoky. Just a perfect meal. Thanks so much for posting this!

    PS – Next time I’m making one bird for me and my wife and we are just going to sit outside and pick at it at our leisure instead of taking the time to take it all apart first. Our sampling during that process was the most fun/best tasting. 🙂

  75. We smoked our first chicken today. Used your recipe and it was GREAT! It was the moistest chicken we have ever eaten.

  76. I’ve tried this 3 times. Each time my internal temperature hasn’t been near the FDA recommended temp. The bird is browned and tastes delicious nonetheless, but I would definitely prefer a higher internal temp right off the grill (I have been finishing it off in the oven). The most recent time I held the temperature more consistently but still no luck. The only thing I can think of is that my grill thermometer is very inaccurate. Thoughts?

    1. It may be worth it for you to get a nice leave in probe thermometer so you can more accurately monitor your internal temps. I’ve never had to finish a chicken in the oven, it always gets up to temp on my smoker.
      Other than that, just try cooking on a higher temp with your smoker and see if that does the trick!

      1. I had a similar problem. The thermometer stuck in the leg said 170 degrees but when I checked the rest of the bird it was lower. I think the problem is that by completely stuffing the cavity (with the lemons, etc, it lowers the temp of the breast and it doesn’t cook as fast. So I re-inserted the probe into the breastmeat and waited till it reached 160 degrees.
        After it’s done take it out and let it rest , as the instructions say.
        My chicken was perfectly cooked and delicious.

  77. That sounds so good, I have bought whole smoked chickens in past (French) and they were decicioux but I am really tempted to try this soem time.

  78. Hi Kevin,
    Does it matter if the bird sits in the brine for two days? This is my first bird on my smoker.

  79. Kevin,
    Can you give more specific time frame? Lets say I am doing a 4 pound bird. How long will that take? 3-5 hours just seems like a very wide margin. How do you get the timing correct so all the sides come out at the same time as the chicken?

    Thanks

    1. One thing you have to get out of your head is cooking/barbecuing by time. The best way to know if chicken is done is by internal temp.

      1. Gary,
        How do you manage to have all your sides dishes done at the same time as the chicken? Or decide when to put your birds on in relation to your guest’s arrival time? I realize times will vary from smoker to smoker, ambient temp to ambient temp. I was just looking for a narrower window to give me a better idea.

        The birds turned out great for my first time. I used a pellet smoker and apple wood pellets. The birds each weighed 5 lbs. It took 4 hours. Ambient temp was about 75, lots of clouds. So sometimes it felt much colder and others much hotter. I only bring this up because my smoker temp seemed to vary depending on cloud conditions. Anyone else experience this? My lid is black.

        1. Hey is the smoker insulated or just sheet metal? I have a pellet smoker that is a big signal box it is insulated and works great.

          1. Michael,
            It is not insulated. In the fall and spring I throw a welding blanket over it to help with temp maintenance. Sure beat the price of any fancy insulating cover sold in the stores. And I put the welding blanket under my fire bowl. There is no damage to the grass at all.

          2. I was asking because I used some cement board 1/2″ and it helped my box alot. There is thiner board that you cut and put it inside. My box is alum and 44″ by 26″ by 4 1/2′ the 1/2″ works great in my smoker

        2. I am sorry about the short reply. I have in my mind the time it might take to cook a chicken at at certain temp from various cooks I have done in the past. I figure my timing backwards knowing it takes “x” amount of time for my KK to get up to temp as well as the cooking of the chicken or whatever protein I am cooking.

        3. I monitor the internal temp of the chicken. When it’s getting close to 165 I start the sides. Plus the whole chicken will stay warm for a while if needed to finish the sides. Put in a pan and cover with foil. That’ll buy you 30 minutes.
          Thermoworks sells phenomenal probe thermometers. Check out the link on our site to see what they have.

          1. Kevin,
            Thanks for the reply. At least now I have one data point to go with and the boss lady has requested more smoked birds. The more times I do it the better my estimation will be. Thanks for the idea about starting the sides when the bird hits 165 & keeping the bird warm for 30 minutest afterward.

  80. Hi Kevin, glad I found this site and thanks for sharing your hard earned knowledge with us. Im a smoking Newb having only recently got a smoker. However its my wifes 40th soon and I wanted to do something special for when the guests arrived for the BBQ. I want to give each family their own smoked bird as they arrive (8 in total) along with sides and chili so they aint waiting for food (Brisket, pulled pork and ribs for the ones who stay into the evening). Are there any issues with timings is smoking 8 birds at once? Any tips on how I can handle this type of effort? Cheers

    1. Hey Ty – This sounds like a fantastic party!
      Any issues with timing would just depend on your smoker. I can cook 12 chickens in mine at the same time and have no issues. Without knowing what your smoker is like, the only suggestion I’d have is to rotate them if you have hot spots on your cooker to make sure they all cook evenly.
      Let me know if you need some specific tips based on your smoker – I’m happy to help. That’s going to be fun – enjoy!

  81. I made this for the first time last night, experimenting on my guests as usual. This chicken was extraordinary. My guests could not stop raving out how good it was. The red meat around the thighs was unbelievable. “The best chicken we have ever had…by a street”.

    1. Are you saying you added the beer/water in the brine or you substituted it for the apples/lemons during the actual cook?

  82. Used this recipe twice and a personal variation of it three times and I can honestly say that it was heavenly. Fantastic site I love how it reads in such a personal level and not just bullet or hash tagged all out.

  83. I just made this chicken in my electric smoke hollow and it was the best we have ever eaten. Brining and smoking is the best. I used apple and mesquit chips mixed. Thanks for your recipes.

  84. So glad I came across this! very excited to try this & it will be my 1st time using the smoker. will post how it turns out! have a nice holiday weekend everyone.

  85. I have smoked chickens before & they are always delicious, however, i’m always on the lookout for some new ideas. Using this recipe for my Memorial Day cookout tomorrow. Going to add Rosemary to the Brine & the Stuffing. Doing 4 or 5, 3 – 5 lb chickens & a bunch of Pork Loins (rubbed). Will let you know how everything turns out.

    1. Leg skin was nice and thin/crunchy. The breast was crunchy with a bit of fat layer under, but it was too salty to really eat. I went too liberal with the salt!

        1. 200-220 for 4 – 4.5 hours. I kept the water pan full. Gas smoker with very steady temp. Turned it up to about 260 for the last 30 mins to speed it up. Was getting close to dinner time.

  86. First time smoker, new Brinkmann vertical gas smoker that I got for free…. this recipe and instructions completely demistified smoking and made for superb results. Was worried about the cheap smoker and being new to the craft.

    Followed the brining instructions. Smoked with soaked cherry wood chunks at 200-220 degrees for 4 hours and kept the water basin full.

    The results were incredible! We normally have half a chicken for leftovers if we grill or bake. The kids devoured this, nothing left! Even my wife who normally turns her nose up at smoked meat enjoyed it.

    As a neat little treat, wipe a piece or two in Bush’s Homestyle bean juice! And finish it off with a side salad with ranch dressing. OMG, yum!

    Thanks for the coaching. You have turned me into a weekend smoker! Already planning the next few meals.

  87. Hey Kevin I have smoked 11 chickens. My question to you is my skin is rubbery is that normal or what should I do to fix?

    1. Higher temperatures will help crisp up the skin. Also, start by rubbing olive oil all over your bird. Hopefully those two things will give your skin a bit more crisp!

    2. 1O min before you take bird off, hit it with 400 degrees, or heat the oven up to 450 and toss the bird in just to crisp the skin

  88. Hey, Just wanted to thak you for this site. So far I have done a pork shoulder, brats, and 3 chickens following the recipes as close as possible. Absolutely DELICIOUS! Really appreciate the information and recipies. This is my first smoker, and first few times I’ve ever tried it. Everyone has loved everything that’s come off the smoker so far! Thanks a lot.

    -Dom

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Dom! We have a lot of fun doing this site and it’s great to hear the success stories that come from readers. Thanks for reaching out!

  89. Kevin we have two kinds of chicken for sale fryer or roaster does it matter anyone better than the other?

  90. can i substitute a orange instead of a lemon?. And i have a wood pellet smoker n i hate the clean up.so i use a cookie sheet lined with foil.Will that affect the smoking process?

    1. I like the idea of trying an orange! Let me know what that flavor is like. You can stuff anything inside the chicken you want – whatever you put in there will add flavor and/or moisture.
      Putting on a sheet is fine. Or just put in an aluminum pan. As long as it’s open on top it will get good smoke.

  91. I’m trying this today, minus the stuff to fill the cavity as I didn’t have all that. Going to follow then use a dry run and cook this with a can of cola in a can/chicken holder.

      1. This was excellent. Used a dry rub, smoked it for about 2.5 hours ( the bird was just over 6lbs)
        Just before removing from smoker, we glazed it lightly with one of our favorites sauces.
        It was a party in our mouth lol

        Thanks to whoever posted this recipe/ idea.

  92. Kevin, Thanks for the recipes! I smoked an 8 .lbs chicken for Easter with your recipe for stuffing and brine, I didn’t inject the bird. This is my third attempt at smoking, I did spare ribs and turkey legs before this chicken. It took 7 hrs, I have an R2D2 (red Master Forge) electric water smoker. I brined the bird for 24 hrs and used cherry with a couple of mesquite chips that I soaked in a bucket for 48 hrs. I put the water from the soaked chips in my water pan. I used a temp probe and put it in the top of the breast and waited for it to reach 180 degrees. The bird was very juicy and everyone loved it! I kept the temp in the smoker between 225-250 degrees and slowly worked it up to 275 in the last 2 hrs. I know you said put the probe in the thigh, but I wanted to make sure I cooked it completely. It took 4 hrs to go from 160 to 180 degrees on the probe. Do R2D2 smokers get hung when smoking? I am going to try and smoke your pulled pork and rub recipe with a pork butt next Saturday. I plan on using apple juice in the water pan and putting it in an aluminum pan covered for the last 6 hrs. I’m a little worried about the hourly spraying…”if your looking your not cooking” and my R2D2 seems slow when I’m not opening it up, any thoughts or words of wisdom for a rookie?

    1. First, I’m glad you had good reviews on your chicken! 180 seems a bit high for a temp, but the only thing that matters is tasty meat!
      On the pork, you definitely don’t need to spray. You have to know your smoker. Mine recovers quickly after opening. I just like the layers of flavor that spraying and sprinkling extra rub provides…but it’s certainly not necessary. You’re right, those little bullet smokers are tough to keep temp regulated. Just keep throwing in lit coals to keep temp up. I used to throw lit coals in every couple of hours.
      Have fun!

    1. Only once, and it was a good experience. I will say I’ve talked to many people who use pellets and they absolutely love them. Easy to use, easy to regulate, good smoke.

  93. I followed this recipe exactly last weekend and it was fantastic! I cooked a 7 lbs. chicken, brined it over night and then smoked it over charcoal/wood for about 5 hours, average temp around 225. It was incredibly moist, very flavorful and enough to feed a small army. I made chicken salad with the left overs. A great bang for the buck! I will do this again for sure now that the weather is finally breaking.

    1. Well I was not sure how it would go but all my friends and family told me that I could do it. And with all the things that you and others on this site helped me feel good. But best of all we have alot of leftovers to make chicken enchiladas, that is the start of something great. Thanks for having the passion that we do keep smokin.

    1. The only time I use a pan is if I want to infuse with flavors, such as citrus. In that case you would want to use chicken parts or spatchcock your bird.
      When I smoke whole chicken I always put directly on grill.

      1. Thank you so much. I have four 6 lbs birds on I did one just like yours and three different rubs but used the stuffing of yours in all I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for your reply.

      2. Kevin, dam that is the bomb did four and we had four people over for dinner and they could not stop eat them. We all had our own we liked because we did four different rubs and the juice was the best I have seen in my life. You are the man.Thanks love your site.

  94. Im planning on using this, but with four 5lbs birds. How long do yoi think it will take? Also, to you flip every now and then, ir just let ’em cook?

    1. I never flip.
      As far as how long…it depends on your cooking temp. If you cook at around 250 they should be done in 3-5 hours. The number of birds shouldn’t matter unless you’re really cramming them in your cooker…if your cooking chamber is packed then it could extend cooking time.

  95. Followed your brine recipe, and was so stoked to try the smoking. (Even soaked my applewood chips in Apple juice!) However a full day of rain and 5 degrees Celsius, so I stuffed the bird and put it in the oven.
    Family all agreed it was the best chicken yet! I honestly cannot wait to smoke a bird. Tried to talk the family into having smoked chicken tomorrow night.
    Thanks for the recipe and your site. I will return after I do smoke one.

    1. Smoked two tonight. (Gas BBQ with wood chips,)
      It was great, very moist and flavourful.
      This will become my standard way of cooking from now on.

  96. I’ve never had chicken as good as this. I followed the instructions and recipe exactly. 3.5 lb bird. Good lord, this is a great recipe. Thanks very much for the recipe to use. Man, I’m so full right now!

  97. Unbelievable!
    This is from a guy that doesn’t really like chicken.
    Thanks.
    Made my wife happy that I will cook chicken for her now.

  98. Love the site!! I have smoked several smaller chickens with your fantastic recipie, however I have a 7lb one I’m looking to smoke., brining as we speak. Any suggestions or ideas on the smoking time? I will be using indirect on a stable temperature grill.

    1. I bet you’ll still get it done in 5-6 hours cooking at around 250. If you want it smokier you could certainly use a lower temp and smoke longer. Just monitor that breast temp and you can’t go wrong!

  99. Will the puncture wounds, if I choose to inject the chicken, cause too much leakage of the juices during the smoking process?

    1. I used to have that same fear but I think the results are still pretty awesome, even with piercing the skin. It will still be the best chicken you’ve ever eaten.

      1. Awesome, thanks man! Really digging your site. I got a smoker for Xmas and have been having a ton of fun with it. Your recipes are great and easy to personalize. Thanks for the fast response!

  100. Today was the first time I made Smoke Whole Chicken It turn out out of this world! I follow the instruction just they way you have it!!! I had 5 LBS birds so I smoke them for 6 HRS. they came out just right !! Thank You very much!! Would you have any Idea on Whole smoke rabbit?? Thank you again!!

  101. Wow! Used the brine recipe. Took about 4 hours at 250 in the smoker with mesquite chips. Fabulous! We are usually a white meat family, but this had us fighting over The flavorful dark meat. Served it with homemade hash browns and roasted asparagus. No leftovers!

    1. Oh, the only change we made was that we had no lemons, so I omitted them. I did squirt some conncentrated lemon juice into the apple/ onion/ garlic mixture. I barely fit that in the chicken, so I’m thinking it’s a good thing.

  102. I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Well done. I’m going to do this today. I only found the article this morning so I’m going to cook my chicken on a 4 hr brine. The rest will be the same. I’ll brine overnight next time.

    Thanks!

  103. I usually spatchcock my chickens. I have cooked/smoked chicken at 250. I cook them on a Kamado. Would I get the same results from your recipe ? If I were to make the mixture that goes inside the chicken, could I put it underneath the chicken ?
    Thanks.

    1. Hey Gary – I think that’s a great idea to put mixture underneath the chicken. My wife does that in the oven when she roasts. It will definitely help. If you spatchcock, I think the total cooking time will be less – at least that’s my experience. I’ll have to do one soon and post it – thanks!

  104. quick question,
    Just got done smoking a chicken according to your instructions and was wondering what to do with the stuffing. Do you throw it away or is it good to eat?

    Thanks

    1. I always throw it away unless I’m making chicken broth. Then I throw it in the pot with the carcass…but I know several people that eat it!

  105. I tried your whole chicken recipe and followed the brine ingredients and time
    The chicken is the best I ever had the taste was out of this world

  106. I made 2 of these today for some family that came over. It turned out amazing! Everyone loved it and it was so juicy! Next time I’m saving the carcass and making broth.

    1. Yay! Let me know what your family thinks of the soup! There are so many creative things to do with leftovers. I’m so glad you’re trying out this soup! Happy eating! 🙂

  107. Just wanted to drop a line and say that I tried this today on my first attempt at smoking (got a charcoal smoke box for Christmas.) I followed the directions exactly and it was incredible, the whole family loved it. I will certainly be using this recipe again in the future. Thank you for help!

  108. I’ve used this recipe for 8 months now and I have tried many different types of wood. Cherry is my favorite and I have two in the smoker today for Christmas lunch. I keep my smoker at 225 and add more wood every 30 to 45 minutes. It takes about 4 hrs to reach internal temp of thigh to 165. It always turns out phenomenal and the skin is never dry. I have a gas smoker and I keep the water pan full the entire time so nothing dries out. Best smoked chicken I’ve ever eaten.

  109. I have just bought my first smoked chicken and don’t know how to cook it –
    do I stuff it just like a normal chicken??
    or just re heat it??

    1. I’m not exactly sure what your question is, Daphne. You bough an already cooked smoked chicken? Or you’re going to smoke your first chicken? If you’re smoking it, definitely yes stuff it like a normal chicken. If it’s already cooked, I wouldn’t bother. Just reheat in a pan with some liquid and cover it.

  110. Smoked six chickens for Thanksgiving…. following this recipe and instructions and WOW …WOW….WOW …. So simple but SOOO GOOOD. Meat pulled off the bones and the flavor is good and throughout the meat. Great recipes for the chicken and brine.

    Thank you

  111. Thanks for recipe and tips. I smoked four small chickens too perfection yesterday thanks to you. I added a little pink salt to my brine for a minor change. The final product was the juiciest, best tasting smoked chicken I have eaten.

  112. 2nd. Foolproof recipe so far! The chicken was outstanding! I forgot the lemon, oops! I also forgot to oil. salt, pepper and paprika the skin, LOL. It didn’t matter. The chicken looked as beautiful as yours. Everyone raved of it’s juiciness, tenderness and great flavor. You are absolutely right, I will never oven roast another chicken. I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website, it’s my go to for all my smoking recipes 🙂 Thanks

  113. chicken looked beautiful – the chicken itself was juicy and delicious – the skin, as pretty as it was, was like chewing on a rubberband . just ate it without the skin . did i do something wrong or is this you get ?

    1. Is this on a whole chicken?

      If so, there’s nothing you can do that I’m aware of. I never eat the skin. I peel it back and just enjoy the delicious meat. Plus it’s healthier.

      1. In the past I have taken the birds out of the smoker and finished on a hot grill to crisp the skin. I however was just reading a Cooks Illustrated article and they suggest taking the bird from the brine and letting it air dry overnight in the fridge. I will use this technique in next time and hope I can avoid the hot grill finish.

  114. Excellent results! Thanks for the tips and the bird came out juicy and delicious. I used lime instead of lemon as grocer had a poor selection of lemons. Also, instead of a paprika for coloring I used some red chili powder. We’re gearing up to smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving and this was a good test run. It was a great success and thanks for the advice!

  115. I’ve got my chicken on the smoker now (about 1.5 hrs) how long do you smoke it for? I was thinking 2.5 hours of smoke and just slow cook the rest of the way? Also where is the best place on a whole chicken to monitor temp? Once again great recipe and chicken smells amazing! Thanks

  116. Loved it! It’s very detailed, I bought a new smoker for the football season and since my husband is terrified of grilling in general, it was my job to figure it out. This was perfect for a starter recipe, as a vegetarian I only got to enjoy the fabulous scent but everyone was so happy with the food that the Cowboys loss didn’t sting as much lol I’ll make two next time for sure. great job!

  117. Did one of these last weekend and doing two more this weekend. Last week I kept the smoker at around 300 and the chicken was done in about 2-2 1/2 hours it turned out beautifully. Best chicken I’ve ever had. Thanks for the tips!

  118. The chicken was awesome! This was the first one I’ve done on my smoker. I will make this again and again. The kids loved it.

  119. I am going to use this recipe to make several chickens for my sons graduation party. Would the cooking time/temp on the grill change , if I was cooking two chickens on the grill at once? Also, although I know not ideal, any suggestions for making ahead of time, cooling, slicing, and re-heating? ( i am sure you are cringing at the thought- but I am hosting about 80 people, and this is only one of the things I am making) Thanks for the recipe

    1. Hi Cara –
      No, the cooking time/temp shouldn’t change. I regularly cook 2 chickens at once on my grill. You should be fine. As far as reheating, I do that all the time! I don’t slice – I pull it. I freeze it with the juices in the bag and I think it still tastes delicious when defrosted. Just heat it up slowly at a low temp (225-250) and be sure to add juices as necessary. Apple juice, butter, sprite…whatever sounds good to you.

      Hope the party and the cooking go well!

  120. I am going to use this recipe but I was wondering would you deduce the cook time if you are using seperate pieces of chicken vs a whole chicken? If so, what would you recommend? Thanks.

    1. Hey Dave – yes, I would definitely reduce the cook time if parts vs. whole. A whole chicken takes much longer. Depending what parts you’re talking about, it shouldn’t take more than a couple hours to get done. Cook at around 225-250 and leg quarters, bone in breasts and such should be done in 2 hours.

      1. I ended up using legs and thighs. I brined overnight using your simple brining method. I then rubbed them with your all purpose rub and smoked them in my electric smoker at 250 with applewood for approximately 2 hrs and they turned out fabulous. My kids keep asking me if we are having them again day after day. Thanks.

  121. I echo the sentiments of many of the other commenters here when I say that this smoked whole chicken is amazing. This is my fifth or sixth bird (losing count) and each time it turns out excellent. Thanks Kevin for this recipe and this website as a resource.

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  123. These comments are not lies. This is the best chicken I have ever tasted. I am new to smoking and I smoked it all afternoon in a Master Forge, with water and apple wood chips. Beside that i followed the recipe to the tee. Kudos Kevin and thank you for the recipe.

  124. I’m trying this out today! My dad and I are each smoking a whole chicken. I brined, he didn’t, we both stuffed the cavity!! I’m so impatient when it comes to these things, but I can’t wait!! The smoker smells so good! I’ve got a 6lb bird in there and I’m excited for it to be done!!
    Thanks for such an easy no nonsense recipe!!

  125. Did this today in a Bradley smoker, followed the recipe exactly (brined overnight) – this is the BEST chicken I’ve ever had in my life. No joke. Doesn’t even need sauce. I bet I could eat the entire chicken myself (I’m female). In our smoker at 250 degrees it took about 3 hours which was faster than we thought so I covered it in tinfoil and placed it in the oven on ‘warm’ for about an hour (needed to get other food items ready for dinner). It is RIDICULOUS!

  126. First time for brining and smoking a chicken, and I’m really glad that I stumbled across this page. Used the basic brine mixture for a couple of 4-1/2 pound birds and left them in the mixture for about 24 hours, then stuffed and oiled up the fowls. Next came the fun part…smoking them with apple and cherry chunks four 3 hours until golden brown. Awesome recipe and even more awesome taste! Thanks for sharing Kevin.
    – Dean

  127. Recipe sounds awesome and going to give it a try! One question, do you need to use a water pan in smoker? Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hey Alecia – No, you don’t need a water pan. In fact, I often smoke chickens on my Weber with no water pans. Personally, I PREFER using a water pan, just to maximize moisture, but it certainly isn’t necessary.
      Good luck and let me know how it turns out!

  128. This is a great recipe. Thanks. But something I love to do if you don’t have time to brine. Fry up a pound of bacon pull the meat out and add a fresh herb. I like rosemary. Render the herb flavor into the fat. Strain. Let the fat cool and then inject the bird. The bad fats will drip out while smoking leaving that amazing flavor. One of the moistest birds I’ve ever smoked.

    1. Brent – this is genius, that’s what it is. I’m absolutely trying this soon. I’ll post it and give you credit. I’m really excited to try this – thanks so much for sharing!

    1. Hi Deron! In the recipe I am assuming your grill holds its temp around 250. Depending on the weight, your chicken will cook for 3 – 5 hours. You want an internal temperature in the leg of 170. Obviously if the bird is bigger or your heat is lower, it will take longer to reach this temperature. If you’re using a Weber, I’d say start checking them temp after 3 hours or so and when you hit 165, you’re done!

  129. Well this is a winner! The best thing I have smoked in the UDS so far. Had left overs today in a wicked Club Sandwich. Thank you from the UK 🙂

  130. Hi. I tried this recipe today and must have misstepped somewhere. I’m hoping you can help me out. I brined the bird overnight and following your cooking method on my electric smoker. While the chicken came out juicy inside , the outside looked like an explosion. Any ideas on what I did wrong? The skin was all torn apart and discolored.

    Thanks,
    Dave

    1. Hey Dave – hmmm, I’m not sure why your chicken exploded like that. Maybe the temp was a bit high? Did you put oil on the skin? If you didn’t, try that, as it seems to help keep the skin together and looking nice. Hope that works for you!
      Hey, at least the most important part – the meat – turned out well!

  131. You sir are a genius!!! Just finished a 5 pound bird with your exact directions and ummm WOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! The juice is pooring down my chin, the flavor is outstanding!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!

    1. Well…I guess I’ll take that as fairly positive feedback.
      😉
      Make sure the juice doesn’t drip onto your keyboard. I would hate to short circuit your computer.

      So glad to hear your success!!

  132. Found your site thru a Google search & I have my chicken on the smoker right now. Only thing I forgot was to add some olive oil to the stuffing & skin but I covered in a rub so I think it will ok. I have been smoking for a few years but nowhere near the level like this. I will be trying more of your secrets & recipes. Thanks for taking the time to share & document your knowledge. In a few hours I will be pulling it off to devour. & would send pics but wasnt sure if that was an option. Thanks again!!!

  133. Looks pretty amazing and want to give it a shot this Sunday. My question is do you attend to the bird at one hour intervals with some sort of say apple juice spray to maintain moisture? Also, could I eat this in a pulled chicken sandwich fashion doused with BBQ sauce or would I need a different rub for that?
    Much appreciated!

    1. Great question, Nikko! I have found that spray isn’t necessary with chicken because it’s protected with the skin. As long as you don’t overcook it, you won’t have any issue with moisture. It will be outstanding. That being said, spraying with some apple juice certainly wouldn’t hurt!
      And absolutely you could pull this apart! That’s what I do nearly every single time. I mix the dark and white meat and dunk in sauce – it’s delicious!

  134. I had friend who was in town on business over and wanted to try something new and home cooked since he travels a lot and goes to a ton of restaurants. I decided on some good old fashioned home-smoked BBQ, so I searched for “smoking a whole chicken” on Bing and this was the first result. I saw this recipe and decided to go for it since it wasn’t that complicated, BEST DECISION EVER! I am a complete novice and the chicken I made had a smoke ring! Kevin, you are awesome, I have bookmarked the site and will definitely be back for other recipes. Also chanced by your bio, how bout them Cards?!

    1. Excellent, Matt!! So great to hear success. Keep me posted on how things go with this and other recipes you try, and let me know if there are recipes you would like to see that aren’t posted.

      And….HOW BOUT them Cards!! 2nd only to BBQ, Cardinals Baseball is my passion – and they aren’t disappointing this season!

  135. This recipe is a winner. Smoked two birds on my first attempt and all who tried them thought they were restaurant quality. Look no further for a great recipe

  136. This is an amazing recipe. The chicken was very moist and had amazing flavor. I recommend this to everyone. I add some extra spice to them an hour before the smoker. Everyone loved them!! Thank you for sharing with us!!

    1. Well, if your smoker is at 250, I’d guess 3 hours…but it might be more or less depending on the pounds. Just make sure internal temp is 165.

  137. So I tried this recipe and it was great. I used a 6lb chicken and it was done in a little over 2 hours. Does anyone have any ideas why it cooked so fast? Temp was set for 240.

    Thanks/Tom

    1. Hey Tom – a lot depends on the cooker. I regularly get chickens done on my Weber in 2 hours. With the Weber, the heat is close and surrounds the food, so it cooks much faster. It’s definitely ok to get it done fast – it might just be less smokey.

      1. Thanks, I figured it was something like that. I’ll just log it and next time I’ll plan on it taking less time.

  138. We made this chicken a few days ago, and it was THE BEST chicken we’ve ever tasted! Today, I’ll be putting 4 more birds into the smoker! Excellent recipe, and instructions!

    1. Brad – it depends on your cooker and the temp you’re cooking at. Most of the chickens I smoke are about 5lbs and take about 5-6 hours on my smoker…so your estimate is probably right on. But If I do it on my Weber, indirect, the heat is closer to the meat so it only takes 2 – 3 hours. If you’re using a Weber, I’d say start checking them temp after 3 hours or so and when you hit 165, you’re done.

    1. That’s fantastic!! Have you liked our Facebook page? If so, you should be able to post a picture on our wall. Or, e-mail it to me! ([email protected]) Thanks for letting me know you tried the recipe…we love to hear success stories!

  139. This was my first whole chicken on the smoker and it was fantastic! Will be saving whats left for some of the other recipes on this site.

    1. Lee – so happy to hear you had such success with your first bird – Congrats! And let me know when you try the other recipes, I love hearing about it.

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