Smoked chicken breast is such a great, healthy meal that can be made with very little fuss. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, and ginger. I love it grilling, smoking, and getting out in the yard with the kids! While it seems like a smart idea to wash the meat before patting your chicken legs dry, you actually shouldnt. The only difference will be the temperature settings, as every pellet grill is different. This seems to be the best temperature for smoking chicken breasts on a Pit Boss. Add the ingredients and let it simmer for a while it is as easy as that! Because you can always freeze the leftover chicken drumsticks that you dont intend on cooking immediately. Chicken Breast Smoked on a Pit Boss (7 SUPER Simple Steps) Be sure to preheat your grill before cooking and to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process. But chicken breast can be notoriously dry when cooked so make sure you follow my simple steps below for juicy smoked chicken. Clean and rinse the chicken in cold water. Make sure there are no other dishes in the sink, as you dont want them to become contaminated from the chicken. You can also watch this step-by-step video that will show you the exact process I used to cook a whole chicken on the Pit Boss pellet grill. What Temp to Cook Chicken Breast on Pit Boss? 21 Pit Boss Recipes For Beginners - Selected Recipes The next time we do this recipe, well be using the applewood pellets. If you are cooking larger or thicker pieces of chicken, you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. The chicken thighs can then be smoked. Place the chicken on the grill grates, in indirect heat. Continue to smoke the chicken, basting every 45 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160F. At the same time, even in their packaging, store them properly. See the types of liquids you can use to spritz chicken here. Mix the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, oil, and brown sugar. This makes it easier to balance out the sweet with the tangy. Smoke the chicken, skin side down until the chicken is lightly browned and the skin releases from the grate without ripping, about 6-8 minutes. Clean and rinse the chicken in cold water. Take your fingers and measure 3 quarters along with the breast, then mark the spot finger and insert the probe as far and as deep as it will go, careful not to touch the probe, especially, if youve put it in wrong the first time and are reinserting it again. Cook chicken breast side up for the entire cook. Put some wood pellets into your smoker box, and close it up. Make sure you dont touch any bones when taking these readings. My advice to you would be to get bone in chicken thighs with the skin on. This will ensure that the chicken is cooked while still remaining juicy and full of flavor. for enhanced smoky flavour to your chicken. 4th of July Smoker Recipes (26 Delicious Yet Easy Recipes), Meat Smoking for Beginners (Start Your Meat Smoking Journey Here), Using Your Pit Boss Pellet Grill to Smoke Chicken Legs. If you have a lot of chicken thighs to smoke, I would suggest doing this in batches. Grate both the ginger and garlic before using for the marinade. Our grills help you craft BBQ recipes to perfection. So, should you make your own or choose a commercial version? Personally, Ive never smoked my chicken breasts before grilling and it always comes out with a smokey flavor. Despite this, I would urge you to make your own BBQ sauce, just once. Now, I know that it can be tricky to get the spice rub to stick to the chicken thighs sometimes. Close pellet grill lid and cook at 275 degrees for about 1 and 1/2 hours or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Place the whole chicken in your Traeger and cook at it at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes. The other piece of advice that I would offer up here is to look for chicken thighs that are more or less a similar shape and size. Are you a fan of smoking a whole chicken on the Pit Boss pellet grill? There are plenty of options when it comes to what type of wood you can choose. Get some kitchen shears or a meat knife. Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Baking Powder Bacon-Wrapped Boneless Chicken Breast in Air Fryer Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Jump to: More chicken recipes Recipe Highlights Why I love smoking chicken thighs Ingredients Ingredient notes and substitutions How to smoke chicken thighs So, youve smoked a delicious whole chicken with your Pit Boss. Note: if you have used a rub without much sugar in it, you could increase this to 350F. Preheat your smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F. You want to ensure that it is fully preheated before putting your chicken thighs in the smoker. Close the lid and continue cooking. SimplyMeatSmoking.com is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. Rest chicken for 10 minutes before cutting. The chicken is seasoned, trussed, and ready to be put on the pellet grill. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. When youre ready to eat, remove it from the grill and start serving! You will have seen that before brining the chicken thighs that I placed them on a wire rack that was stacked on a baking sheet. A good thermometer will help you monitor the temperature so you know when its fully cooked. Rub the entire chicken with olive oil and coat it completely with your favorite applewood seasoning. If you find there is a lot of excess rub or salt on the chicken give it a VERY light wipe with a clean paper towel or cloth. 3. When it comes to grilling chicken thighs, you are used to flipping the thighs on a regular basis. Fill up your grill with your preferred wood pellets, preheat the grill, wash the chicken season, and truss the chicken. Email: charlie@simplymeatsmoking.com. Recipes | Pit Boss Grills We recommend setting up the Pit Boss for indirect heat to cook at 300F. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. After the resting period, you can cut into the chicken and have a taste. to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Apply cooking oil to the grates using a paper towel. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months by removing the chicken carcass and sealing the meat in a Ziplock bag. I wish we wouldve used the Applewood pellets, but I didnt want to change the pellets. Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings on a Pit Boss (In 7 Simple Steps) Barbecue rubs and seasonings work so well with chicken. This allows you to keep track of the temperature while keeping the lid closed. Have a look at the wood options below to find which one works for you. Check with a digital thermometer or meat probe thermometer. Shop for wood pellet grills, smokers, and griddles. However, grilling chicken with the skin on can also make it more difficult to achieve evenly cooked results. Or, you can simply improve upon this basic rub. Coming up with a side dish is left up to you! Let it smoke until the internal temp of the breast is 165F and the thighs are 175F (about 2.5 hours of cooking time). Keep this in mind if you decide to smoke your chicken at 180 degrees before cooking. You can check this with a temperature probe or meat thermometer. Try to keep the lid shut as much as you can to avoid temperature fluctuations. Go ahead and put them together! Next, wait for 5 to 7 minutes until you can hear an ignition sound. The key to the best smoked chicken thighs is choosing the right wood pellets. These pieces will simply char when the chicken thighs are smoked for as long as they will be. Smoked chicken is great on its own, but sometimes it is good to pair it with some side dishes. What Temperature to Smoke Chicken Legs At? If there were pellets in the hopper, skip the priming process. This guide is specifically written for the Pit Boss grill. Cooking a whole chicken at 225F on the Pit Boss will take roughly 45 minutes per pound of meat. However, the ideal temperature for smoking chicken breasts is between 325 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, you'll want to know how to tell when chicken is cooked properly using different methods. The first step to making smoked chicken thighs is choosing the right chicken thighs for the job. Its safer to overcook it than undercook it. This will help to ensure that your chicken doesnt stick to the grill and that it cooks evenly. Coating your chicken overnight in a dry brine is the best way to tenderize the chicken to ensure moist, tender meat. Oakis a lovely milder choice that still gives a sweet smoke flavor. So join me on my journey to become a master griller! The next time youre looking for something simple to cook for dinner, considering smoking some chicken. That being said, I do prefer to make my own. But heres an easy DIY rub that we recommend you try Mikes All-Purpose Dry Rub for Chicken. This is why if you are making smoked chicken thighs, I would suggest being a little unhealthy this time around. Place the chicken breasts on one side of the grill, not in the middle. Whats more, since I add barbecue sauce later on, I find that the rub complements the sauce as well. Pay attention to this and you will get the best possible results out of your wood pellets. Remove the chicken from the grill, allow to rest 15 minutes, then serve. Take your wing game to the next level with bold flavors inspired by traditional Al Pastor.. Alabama White Sauce on Crispy Chicken Quarters Rich, tangy and packed with flavor, Alabama White Sauce is the perfect sidekick to smoky Crispy Chicken Quarters. Remove the skin from the underside of the thighs. Its fantastic for cooking smoked chicken, whether its the chicken thigh, chicken leg, or chicken breast. I find that this process helps the smoked chicken thighs maintain their moisture while resulting in a crispier skin. Preheat the temperature to300F degrees, which will ensure nice crispy skin. 1. Pellet Grill Recipe 4 - Garlic Butter Steak Bites. Preheat your Pit Boss Grill to 350F. You should be able to taste a nice smoky apple flavor that will make you want to lick your fingers! It's great when you need to feed a crowd, too, as it's loved by kids and grown-ups alike. All you need is a few ingredients, a cast iron pan, and your smoker! Turn the dial to Smoke and press the Power button. Place the chicken breast side up on the cooking grate and smoke for about 2.5 hours until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reads at least 165F and the thighs are 180F. I used a Z Grills pellet grill for this cook but you could also do this on a Traeger or Pit Boss. If you are looking for crispier skin, you can cook the chicken at a slightly higher temperature, but be sure not to overcook it or the meat will become dry and tough. Remove the chicken from the packaging. Just cover the seasoned chicken with aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator for the next day. The first thing that I want to say about wood pellets is to choose the best brand possible. Take the smoked chicken thighs out of the grill. It is all about timing it just right. Recipes | Pit Boss Grills Chicken goes good with quinoa, potatoes, vegetables, or you can cut it into pieces and top a salad. Smoking your chicken legs at a high enough temperature on the Pit Boss to render out the fat underneath the skin is important, but so is the seasoning and the way you do it. You can cook at a hotter temperature if you are in a hurry but 225 on my Pitboss is my sweet spot. How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken Wings in The Pit Boss? 2022 Simply Meat Smoking, All rights reserved. Smoked chicken, in my opinion, tastes EPIC. Once this has happened, you can let go of the button. Fruitwood pelletsare great if youre after a mild mix of woody flavors. Us neither. Just use a meat thermometer to check the internal meat temperature of the chicken; it should be cooked to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you take it off the grill. This will leave room for you to prepare veggies, potatoes, on the other side of the grill. This is because unlike with chicken breasts, chicken thighs have a higher quantity of fat. Lets begin! When this happens, you let cold air in and let hot air rush out. How to Smoke a Whole Chicken on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill (8 Simple Steps). Here is our tried and tested smokey chicken wings. BBQ is more than a profession for Pit Master Chuck Gonzalez it's a way of living. If you grill a whole chicken that isnt trussed, the hot air will dry out the breasts before the legs and thighs are cooked properly. Instead, you can simply take the smoked chicken thighs off the pellet grill at the same time. In the case of smoked chicken thighs, though, I make an exception. Smoked Chicken Legs. Press into the skin. Place the chickens on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Thus, the resting period is an opportunity for the thighs to reabsorb any juices or liquids that they have lost during the smoking process. Wash the chicken thoroughly in water and then place it on top of the cutting board with paper towels. Smoking low and slow guarantees youll always have tender, juicy chicken. Pat the surface of the meat with a paper towel so that its dry before you season it. Author: Charlie ReevesHi, Im Charlie, I am head taste tester at Simply Meat Smoking! The fat will help protect the meat during smoking and prevent the skin from drying out. When your meat thermometer reaches 165 F, its time to take it off the heat. Your Pit Boss pellet smokers cooking grate will be able to hold chicken drumsticks just fine. To achieve a crispy chicken skin, pat skin dry and apply kosher salt to both sides of the chicken, leave in the refrigerator to dry out on a wire rack at least one hour prior to cooking.