Smoked Chicken Recipe
This easy Smoked Chicken is tender and juicy inside with beautifully seasoned skin and delicious smoky BBQ flavor. It's a simple whole chicken recipe that's perfect for your smoker or pellet grill.
Servings: 7 servings
Calories: 1007kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Maple Brine for chicken or turkey
- 6 quarts water
- 1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups maple syrup (pure)
- 2 fresh bunches of thyme 2 Tbsp. dry
- 6 bay leaves
- 4 large cloves garlic crushed
- 2-3 Tbsp. black peppercorns
- 5-6 lb. each 2 medium sized whole chickens or turkey
Finishing touches for the bird:
- Apple sliced
- Onion peeled and sliced
- Olive oil
- Herbs de Provence
Best Ever Gravy
- Drippings from pan you can add water to this if the drippings are too thick, up to 3/4 cup
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 Tbsp. flour adjust flour if water was added to the drippings
- 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 1-2 Tbsp. sherry
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except poultry in a large stock pot. Bring to boil and cook until salt dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, put the poultry in the brine and refrigerate overnight. Turn once if possible.
- Prepare your smoker to a temperature of 215-225F. Remove the birds from the brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Loosely stuff the cavity with onion and apple slices. Rub the entire bird with olive oil and Herbs de Provence. Place in the smoker with an aluminum drip pan underneath and smoke for 7-8 hours or until the breast temp. is 160-165F. You can put the pan under the grill too if you like, you get a crispier skin that way. Remove and tent with foil for 20min. while you make the gravy. Pour the drippings into a gravy separator.
- For the gravy: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and when it is bubbling whisk in flour, letting the flour cook for a few seconds. Whisking rapidly pour in the drippings. Whisk in the stock and then let the gravy cook until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 min. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Usually it doesn't need too much salt if any because of the brine. Pour into a gravy boat and serve with sliced chicken or turkey.
Notes
See the post for more information, photos and tips.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1007kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 299mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 939mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 2986IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 6mg