Smoked Whole Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken 4–5 lbs, spatchcocked (instructions are below)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral oil
• 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoons black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Charcoal Grill: Indirect Smoking Setup

1. For this method, we’re creating two zones: one for heat, one for the meat. Push all your charcoal to one side of the grill to create your hot zone. Light your coals using a chimney starter and once they’re ashed over and ready, dump them onto the charcoal side only. Close the lid and play with the vents until you have a steady temperature of 250–275°F. This low temperature is ideal for developing smoky flavor.

Gas Grill: Indirect Smoking Setup

2. Preheat your gas grill to 250–275°F using only one side of the burners (create a 2-zone setup).
3. Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side up over the indirect heat zone (opposite the coals or unlit burners). Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 1.5 to 3 hours. The cooking time will vary based on the size of your chicken and your type of smoker. Use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting it up.