Go Back
–+ servings
smoked chicken breast slices with sauces on a plate
Print

Smoked Chicken Breast

Incredibly juicy, succulent, and flavorful Smoked Chicken Breast gives you a tasty euphoric experience in every chunky slice. It's super easy and fun to prepare. Today, we're gonna make the tastiest chicken breast without all the fuss so that you can make yours at home!
Course Main, Main Course
Cuisine American, Southern
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Brining Time 4 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 116kcal
Author Imma

Equipment

  • Pellet smoker, Charcoal grill, electric smoker, or any smoker

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

  • Get the Chicken Ready. Remove chicken breast from packaging and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  • Brine the Chicken Breasts. Let it brine for around 3-4 hours. Once done, take them out and remove the excess moisture. (Rule of Thumb: Let the chicken sit in the brine for an hour per pound.)
  • Dry Them. Let them sit in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or preferable overnight. Do not cover them; let them air-dry. You can omit this part and proceed with the spices if you're in a rush.
  • Preheat the Smoker. When ready to smoke, preheat the smoker to 250℉/120℃, using wood of choice.
  • Season. Place the chicken in a large bowl with all the spices and then drizzle with oil. (Feel free to use your preferred seasoning(s) if that's what you have on hand.)
  • Placement. You can place chicken breasts directly on the smoker racks or on a wing chicken rack.
  • Trap the Heat. Cover the smoker and smoke the chicken breast for about 90 minutes and then move the chicken around for even cooking. Some parts of the smoker can be hotter than other parts. Use your best judgment.
  • Check the Temperature. Smoke until the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165℉/75℃, the thermometer not touching the bone.
  • Remove and Serve. When the chicken is done, remove it from the smoker and immediately pair it with the mustard, white bbq, or bbq sauce. (See my Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe Collection HERE.)

Using a Pellet Smoker

  • Pre-smoke. Preheat the smoker until the woodchips start smoking.
  • Placement. Simply place the meat cuts on a rack, so they are exposed to indirect heat. This will ensure that your meat will cook evenly without burning one side.
  • Keep it moist. Put a pan with half a cup of water in the smoking chamber to add humidity.
  • Trap the heat. Close the lid to trap the heat, and smoke is gonna cook the meat.

Using a Charcoal Grill

  • Heat the grill. Place the hot charcoals on one side (all the way to the edge) of the grill.
  • Catch the juices. Put the tin catch just below the grill so you can catch any juices that drip off. 
  • Placement. Add the breasts on the other side of the grill furthest from the coals and the pan of water beside it.
  • Trap the heat. Close the lid to trap the heat and smoke that'll deliciously cook your chicken.

Using an Electric Smoker

  • Pre-smoke. Preheat and pre-smoke the unit with the woodchips of your choice. 
  • Keep it moist. Once it reaches the desired temperature, place the pan of water inside the unit's lowest spot.
  • Placement. Place the chicken on the rack and close the lid or door.

Notes

  • Refrigerate - You're gonna want to keep the chicken breast in the fridge when you're not preparing it. Chicken (skin off) absorbs the smoky flavor better when it starts out cold.
  • Prepare a foil tent - Worried that you might overcook one side? Prepare foil tent, and cover the part where you feel like it's burning. This redistributes the heat so that the heat doesn't directly affect the dish.
  • Skin off - Remove the skin to help the meat absorb more seasoning and smoky flavors when in the smoker.
  • Bone-in or bone-out? - Well, you can do either. Bone-in if you're not going to brine, and bone-out if you plan on brining. The purpose of both the bone and brine is to prevent the meat from drying out. Nobody likes dry meat! Well, almost nobody.
  • Do not turn - There's no need to flip your meat. The smoker uses indirect heat, which cooks the dish evenly on all sides.
  • Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 116kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 688mg