A Spatchcock Smoked Chicken is an impressive delight that will take your ordinary plain chicken and turn it into a serious masterpiece of flavor and aroma.
While you don’t technically have to spatchcock a chicken to smoke it, I would like to suggest that doing this one extra – and fairly easy – step will be very worth it in terms of how quickly it cooks and how much extra flavor is imparted.
To go with your smoked chicken, try this herby potato salad on the side, and do up some quick roasted zucchini. That’s a pretty perfect meal.
» You might also like this smoked chicken thigh recipe.
What is a Spatchcock Chicken?
The process involves removing the backbone of the chicken so you can flatten it out. This technique is also known as butterflying.
The benefits of spatchcocking a chicken are numerous:
- Even Cooking: Because the chicken is flattened, it cooks more evenly. This is especially useful for grilling or roasting, as the legs and thighs are more exposed and cook at a similar rate as the breast.
- Faster Cooking Time: A spatchcocked chicken has a larger surface area and a more uniform thickness, which typically leads to a quicker cooking time compared to a whole bird.
- Easier to Season: Flattening the chicken exposes more surface area, allowing for better seasoning and more thorough application of marinades or rubs.
- Crispier Skin: In methods like roasting or grilling, the increased surface area exposed to the heat source results in crispier skin over the entire bird.
Ingredients Needed
- Whole 3 to 5-pound chicken – You can use whatever size chicken you need. It might take more time to cook, but you can measure the progress on a meat thermometer to reach 165° F(74°C).
- Dry rub – We always use our homemade dry rub on all the meat we make. It’s easy and delicious. You can also use your own blend or a store-bought rub.
- Melted butter or olive oil
Equipment Needed
- Smoker – I use a Traeger Pro Series 22 or my Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill
- Pellets – I like to use apple wood for smoking chicken.
- Kitchen shears or a sharp knife – This will help you spatchcock the chicken
- Cutting board – A cutting board with a small well around the outside is great for catching the chicken juice as you prepare it.
Helpful Tips
- Patience is key: After applying the dry rub, let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes. This wait allows the flavors to seep in.
- Temperature matters: Preheat your smoker to a steady 225° F(107°C). Consistency in temperature is crucial for even cooking.
How to Make Spatchcock Smoked Chicken
Step 1: Spatchcock the chicken
Don’t be intimidated by this process of spatchcocking. It’s actually really easy and only takes a few minutes. Once you’ve done it once, you’ll see just how uncomplicated it is.
Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board and use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken open like a book, locate the breastbone, and press down firmly to flatten the bird.
Step 2: Prepare the chicken for smoking
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with the dry rub. We use this homemade dry rub, but you can use any rub you like. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes. If you have more time, you can rest it for up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Smoking
Preheat the smoker to 225° F(107°C). Don’t forget to stock the hopper with your preferred pellets (we like apple wood pellets for chicken).
Place the chicken on the smoker. Insert a leave-in thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, if you have one. Close the lid and let it smoke for about 2 hours, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 140° F(60°C).
Open the smoker and brush the chicken with melted butter or olive oil. Turn up the smoker to 300° F(150°C) and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165° F(74°C).
Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
How to Know When It’s Done
After about 2 hours, when the internal temperature hits 140° F(60°C), it’s time to baste the chicken with melted butter or olive oil. This adds a nice sheen and helps crisp up the skin. Ramp up the smoker to 300° F(150°C) and cook until the internal temperature reaches a safe 165° F(74°C).
Once you remove the chicken, it will likely rise a few more degrees in temperature, which is fine. This will ensure there are no pink areas next to the bone.
Serving and Storing Leftovers
Once off the smoker, let your masterpiece rest for 10 minutes. This rest time is crucial – it lets the juices redistribute, ensuring every bite is moist and flavorful. For leftovers, slice the chicken and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s perfect for salads, sandwiches, or just a sneaky midnight snack.
There you have it, a smoked spatchcock chicken that’s not just a meal, but a statement of your growing mastery over the grill. Enjoy the process, savor the flavors, and bask in the glory of your grilling achievement.
Questions About the Recipe
Do you flip spatchcock chicken?
There is no need to flip a spatchcock chicken while it is smoking.
What temperature is spatchcock chicken done?
The spatchcock chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165° F(74°C).
How long does it take to smoke a spatchcock chicken at 225 degrees?
It takes about 3 hours to smoke a spatchcocked chicken. 2 hours at 225°F(107°C), until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 140° F(60°C). Then turn up the smoker to 300° F(149°C) and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165° F(74°C).
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Spatchcock Smoked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole 3-pound chicken
- 1/4 cup (18 g) dry rub see recipe
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) melted butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board and use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken open like a book, locate the breastbone, and press down firmly to flatten the bird.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with the dry rub. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the smoker to 225° F(107°). Don’t forget to stock the hopper with your preferred pellets (we like apple wood pellets for chicken).
- Place the chicken on the smoker. Insert a leave-in thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, if you have one. Close the lid and let it smoke for about 2 hours, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 140° F(60°C).
- Open the smoker and brush the chicken with melted butter or olive oil. Turn up the smoker to 300° F(150°C) and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165° F(74°C).
- Remove the chicken from the smoker and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment Needed
- Smoker
- Pellets
- Kitchens shears or a sharp knife
- Cutting board
Notes
- After applying the dry rub, let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes. This wait allows the flavors to seep in.
- Preheat your smoker to a steady 225° F(107°C). Consistency in temperature is crucial for even cooking.
Nutrition
Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes and currently has a cookbook in development.
