Easy Pellet Grill Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe
Easy Pellet Grill Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy pellet grill Smoked Whole Chicken recipe, you’re in the right place! This is our go-to recipe.
A whole new world of flavour!
Some time ago we added a Traeger pellet grill to our outdoor patio and we use it all the time! Wood fired grills make the most flavourful and moist grilled meats. We regularly use ours to smoke ribs, steak, turkey, chicken thighs, burgers, pizza and of course roast chickens. The flavour added by using wood pellets is just so good! And because we use it so much, I thought it was time to start sharing our favourite recipes, starting with this wood pellet whole chicken…it’s a staple around here!
Pellet Grill Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe Tips
- CHICKEN: This recipe is for a 4 – 5 lb whole chicken. If you have a bigger whole bird, the cook time will be longer so we recommend using a water pan in the grill for added moisture.
- DRY RUB: You can use any of your favourite pre-made barbecue dry rubs or a poultry rub. If you don’t have one, season the chicken with a couple teaspoons of seasoning salt, a little brown sugar and a generous amount of ground black pepper. Or make your own spice rub with a mixture of different seasonings such as garlic powder, cayenne pepper, sugar, salt, pepper.
- WOOD PELLETS: Use mild wood pellets: apple, cherry, pecan, or hickory.
- FOR CRISPY SKIN: If the skin is not crispy towards the end of the cooking time, increase the pellet grill heat to 400 degrees F for the last 10 – 15 minutes of time. Or finish under a broiler for a few minutes. You can also air dry the raw chicken in the fridge overnight to help the skin dry out.
- COOKING TIME: The smoking time listed is approximate based on a 4 – 5 lb chicken. Don’t judge doneness strictly on time, always cook to the recommended internal temperature of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.
- USE A DRIP PAN: Place a drip pan under the chicken while it smokes on the grill.
- LEFTOVERS: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Shredded leftover smoked chicken also makes for a delicious smoky chicken salad!
Serving Suggestions:
This whole chicken is delicious with these oven roasted potatoes, easy lemon garlic broccolini and this cheesy garlic bread. Yum!
Easy Pellet Grill Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 – 4.5 – 5 lb whole chicken
- 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp your favourite dry rub (amount really depends on how much you want to use)
Instructions
Preparing the chicken:
- Rinse and use paper towels to pat the chicken dry.
- Tie the chicken legs together at the base with some butcher twine (see pictures).
- Rub with the olive oil, then apply the BBQ rub all over the entire chicken, including under chicken skin if possible (this gives SO much flavour to the chicken).1 – 4.5 – 5 lb whole chicken, 2 – 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp your favourite dry rub
Setting up the Pellet Grill:
- Preheat the grill to 225 degrees F.
Cooking the Chicken:
- Place the chicken, breast side up, directly on the grates in your preheated smoker.
- Place a drip pan underneath the grill grates for easy cleanup.
- Then insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the breast, without touching bone.
- Smoke / roast until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the breast and 175 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh (use a proper meat thermometer).
For Crispy Skin:
- If the skin is not crispy towards the end of the cooking time, increase the pellet grill heat to 400 degrees F for the last 10 – 15 minutes of time. Or finish under a broiler for a few minutes. You can also air dry the raw chicken in the fridge overnight to help the skin dry out.
- When done, let the chicken rest for 10 – 15 minutes before carving to retain juices.
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