4 ways to nail a classic smoked chicken recipe

Chicken is the most popular form of protein in the world. Its popularity only grows when we talk about a good old-fashioned cookout. 

Let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like using a smoker during the summer to cook a mouthwatering and succulent chicken.

If you’ve ever used a smoker, then you know that it has the ability to turn basic ingredients into an absolute masterpiece. When paired with quality chicken—a choice of meat with amazing versatility—it means that there are endless ways that you can prepare delicious smoked chicken.

The versatility also lends itself perfectly to experimenting with your smoked chicken recipe and whipping up something that’s unique and delicious.

Beer can chicken

One of the biggest fears that people have with grilling chicken is that if it’s undercooked, it will not be healthy to be consumed. And if it’s overcooked, it becomes too dry—and in some cases, chewy.

That’s why every grill master should try the beer can chicken method when smoking their chicken.

The beer helps the chicken remain moist and tender as it evaporates inside the chicken, preventing the meat from becoming dry. Plus, the flavour of the beer gets infused into the chicken, giving it a unique taste.

To prepare this recipe, simply open a beer can, and place it inside the seasoned chicken. Make sure to place the can in an upright position to ensure the beer doesn’t spill out or leak. 

Finally, place the chicken in the smoker and enjoy.

Smoking chicken using a pellet grill

One of the best ways to infuse some incredible flavour into smoked chicken recipes is to use a pellet grill with flavoured wood pellets. 

Wood pellets come in a variety of flavours. From bold flavours like hickory and mesquite to sweeter ones like apple and maple, most of these will pair perfectly with any kind of poultry, depending on your preference.

Once you’ve selected your favourite wood pellet flavour, set your smoker to 225 degrees and preheat for approximately 15 minutes with the lid on. Once the smoker has preheated, smoke the chicken for 45-60 minutes. 

This slow smoking method will allow the smoke to infuse into the chicken and give it a deep and delectable flavour.

Spatchcocked chicken

For those with little patience, spatchcocking is a great way to help your chicken cook faster. 

Use a large knife to cut either side of the chicken—through the ribs—and remove the backbone. Then lay the chicken flat on the smoker. This allows the chicken to cook more evenly.

This may seem like a tedious task, but once you’ve gotten the hang of spatchcocking a few chickens, you can create some great smoked chicken recipes.

Rubs and seasonings

And last but not least, selecting the right rubs and seasonings can do wonders for how your chicken looks and tastes.

The majority of rubs include salt and other flavour boosters, along with some food colourings, which help add some vibrancy to the meat and make the skin crispy.

Smoked chicken recipes to elevate your cookout

Chicken is loved by people all over the world, with every culture having its own unique way of preparing chicken. 

Smoking your chicken is one of the best ways to infuse flavours because the longer it cooks—at an appropriate temperature—the more chances the meat will have to absorb those incredible flavours of the seasonings you’ve used to flavour it.

So, the next time you’re smoking chicken, try out the methods mentioned above to add a touch of creativity and a whole lot of flavour!