Smoked Chicken RecipeTransform ordinary chicken into something special with this smoked chicken recipe. Whole chickens are halved, brined and seasoned with a special chicken dry rub before going into the meat smoker for the finishing touch. Halve A Chicken Or TwoThis recipe starts with two whole fryers. Remove the giblets and trim off the fat and extra skin. Split the birds in two by cutting down the middle of the breast and back of each chicken. Cut along both sides of the backbone and remove. Now it's time to brine!Chicken Brine RecipeTo make the brine you'll need one gallon of cold water per bird. To each gallon add three-quarters cup of canning salt, one-quarter cup of sugar (white or brown...your choice), two tablespons of paprika, and one tablespoon of ground black pepper. Be sure that the salt and sugar is dissolved completely before mixing in the paprika and pepper.Soak the chicken halves in the brine four to six hours. A food grade plastic bucket works great for this. Keep the brining chicken in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. After brining, pat the chicken dry to make ready for the chicken dry rub mix. Chicken Dry Rub RecipeThis is an easy, yet flavorful dry rub that adds great taste to this smoked chicken recipe. To make the rub, combine...2 tablespoons onion powder Smoker Cooking the ChickenSmoke the chicken halves skin side up in your meat smoker, maintaining the temperature between 225 and 240 degrees Fahrenheit. For smoke, I find that apple wood gives the chicken a wonderful flavor and great color.It'll take two to four hours for the chicken to finish. Check the temperature of the thigh and breast with your meat thermometer. When the breast reaches 165 and the thigh is 175, the smoked chicken can be removed from the smoker. Let the chicken rest for fifteen minutes before serving. The chicken made with this smoked chicken recipe is great for making sandwiches. Shred the meat, mix in some of your favorite barbeque sauce, and pile it on a bun with a couple of dill pickle slices. Smoked chicken is also perfect for making tasty appetizers. I like to put a dollop of softened herbed cream cheese on a Ritz cracker and plop a chunk of cold smoked chicken on top. Add a sprinkle of paprika and munch away! from Smoked Chicken Recipe Or go home, to Smoker Cooking
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