Spatchcock Smoked Chicken

Step 1

Use kitchen shears to cut chicken in half. Start at tail and work your way all the way around both sides of the spine so that the chicken is split down the middle (breast, wing, thigh, drumstick on each side).

Step 2

Lay out two pieces of plastic wrap. Cover each chicken half with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, mix up dry rub. Generously coat all sides of chicken with dry rub, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate an hour or up to over night.

Step 4

Set smoker to smoke at least 5 minutes with the lid open. Increase heat to 250 degrees F and close lid. Unwrap chicken and add to grill, skin side up. Insert meat thermometer into the thigh, avoiding contact with bone. If just using dry rub and not BBQ sauce, continue to cook until internal temperature of the thigh reads 165 degrees F. My chicken took about 3 hours to fully cook.

Step 5

Optional: While the chicken is smoking, make whiskey BBQ sauce. Smoke until internal temperature of breast reads 145 degrees F. At this point, smother chicken in BBQ sauce and continue to cook until internal temperature of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

Step 6

Allow chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before eating.