bbq smoked chicken

Our Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken is first dry brined and seasoned overnight to get the most flavor and crispiest skin possible.We then review step by step how to set up your Pit Boss pellet grill to perfectly smoke this whole chicken to perfection.

Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken

Whole Chickens

Your Favorite BBQ rub

Salt

Tbsp Fresh Course Ground Black Pepper

Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

Tbsp Paprika

½ Tbsp Course Ground Black Pepper

½ Tbsp Chili Powder

½ Tbsp Garlic Powder

Tsp Onion Powder

¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)

clean

Clean, rinse, and pat dry the whole chickens well with paper towels.

trim

Trim any excess pieces of skin or fat off of the chickens.

Clean the Chicken

place on rack

Place the chickens on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet.

Brine

Mix together the 4 Tbsp Kosher salt and 1 Tbsp pepper, or use your favorite BBQ rub, and sprinkle generously over the tops and bottoms of each chicken. DO NOT use cooking oil to adhere or skin will not get crispy.

Refrigerate

Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.

Dry Brine the Chicken Overnight

Wipe

Take the chickens out of the refrigerator and wipe off any excess salt still remaining on the outside with a damp paper towel.

Mix Rub

If you only used Salt and Pepper to Dry Brine, mix the In a Pinch BBQ Rub ingredients together and apply some to all sides of the chickens. Or add a little more of your favorite BBQ rub for chicken

Remove the Next Day

Clean Firepot

Remove the fire pot from the bottom of the Pit Boss and clean out any ashes left over from the last cook. Replace it and make sure it is secured in place with the clips on either side. Also, wrap the drip tray in aluminum foil to limit cleanup needed later.

Add pellets

Add your chosen pellets to the hopper, start the Pit Boss pellet grill and put it on the &quot;Smoke&quot; setting.

Press Prime

If there are no pellets in the auger, hold the &quot;Prime&quot; button until you hear pellets begin falling in the fire pot. This will speed up the auger to prime it full of pellets before you start preheating.

Let Run

Once the Pit boss begins to produce thick white smoke, let it run for about 5-7 minutes until the smoke turns more of a clearish blue color. This means the fire rod has fully heated up to burn the pellets more cleanly.

Preheat

Next, set the temperature to preheat the Pit Boss pellet grill to 350°F. We will drop this temperature before we start cooking.

Water Pan

Fill an aluminum pan with water pan if you want to add extra moisture, and place it on the far left side of the Pit Boss pellet grill. Place a disposable bucket liner in the grease bucket as well if you want to limit cleanup later.

Set Temperature

Once the Pit Boss has come up to 350°F, drop the temperature on the control panel to 325° and clean the grill grates with a good grill brush and close the lid.

Start the Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Place Chicken

Position your seasoned whole chickens on the grates breasts up and the legs pointing to the hotter RIGHT side of the grill.

Insert Probe

Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the breasts, and another one, if you have one, into the middle of one of the thighs.

Close Lid

Close the lid.  Rotate occasionally for even cooking.

Remove

When the internal temperature of the breasts has reached 165°F, and the internal temperature of the thighs hits 175°F, carefully remove the chickens from the Pit Boss.

Smoking the Whole Chicken on the Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Rest

Let the chickens rest for 15-20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute.

Carve

Rest and Carve

These smoked chicken thighs are tender, juicy, and full of smoky flavor with perfectly crispy skin. A simple homemade rub adds just the right amount of seasoning, and a final brush of BBQ sauce gives them a sweet, caramelized finish. This recipe is easy to follow, great for beginners, and perfect for backyard dinners or casual gatherings.

Simple BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs

chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)

brown sugar

smoked paprika

garlic powder

onion powder

salt

black pepper

neutral oil (like avocado

BBQ sauce (divided)

Preheat the smoker to 275°F (135°C). If your smoker has a water pan, fill it about halfway to help keep the heat steady and prevent the chicken from drying out.

Trim any excess fat or loose skin. Pat the thighs dry with paper towels to help the skin crisp up during cooking.

Stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Drizzle the thighs with oil, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture over all sides. Press lightly to help it stick.

Place the thighs skin-side up on the grates. Close the lid and smoke for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Pour ½ cup of the BBQ sauce into a separate bowl. Brush a light coating over each thigh, then close the lid and continue smoking for another 10–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175–185°F (79–85°C) and the sauce is set.

Rest and serve. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Serve with the remaining 1 cup of BBQ sauce on the side.

Quick prep. Smoke time is reasonable as it doesn’t take all day. . Most importantly, delicious!

Top 2 bbq smoked chicken recipes from across the web

The most viewed bbq smoked chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken

Simple BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs

Top 2 bbq smoked chicken recipes from across the web

The most viewed bbq smoked chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken

Simple BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs

The most viewed bbq smoked chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine