Easy Smoked Chicken Breast
This amazing Smoked Chicken Breast is easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, but it will taste like its been smoking all day long. Best of all, you only need 3 ingredients to make the juiciest and tastiest chicken you'll ever try.
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Why You'll Love This Smoked Boneless Chicken
We eat a lot of chicken in our house, and smoked chicken breast is one of my favorite ways to prepare it. Here are a few reasons why I guarantee you'll love it too:
- Incredible Flavor - Chicken breast doesn't have much natural flavor to it. But adding the flavor of the dry rub and the smokiness of the wood or pellets transforms boring chicken breast into something special
- Easy and Foolproof - There's no need to marinade or brine the chicken. Just remove the packaging, add your favorite seasonings, and toss it right on the grill grates to smoke. Perfect for busy weeknights when time is tight and energy levels are low
- Super Versatile - Not only are there infinite flavor profiles you can give this smoked chicken breast by trying various seasonings and types of wood, but there are also many ways to serve the chicken itself. Scroll down to see my favorites below
- Crowd Pleaser - If you're having a backyard party and need to feed a crowd, this recipe is for you. It's easy, low maintenance, and once everyone tastes it you'll be the undisputed hero of the neighborhood
- Meal Planning - Since you can easily make this meal in batches, it works well for those who are looking for healthy meal planning options
How To Smoke Chicken Breast
Smoking chicken breast is about as easy as you can get. Follow the steps below and you'll get amazingly juicy and delicious chicken every time.
- Preheat the Smoker - Fire up your smoker and get it to a steady 225 F. I usually use apple, cherry, or hickory wood with chicken but use whatever you like best. Chicken takes on smoke flavor very well and you really can't go wrong
- Prep the Chicken - Some people like to wet brine their chicken breast before smoking it and that's fine. But brining will add another 4 hours or so to your cooking time and when you've got a hungry family to feed time is of the essence! I simply remove the chicken from its packaging and trim away any excess fat. Then I rub on a small amount of olive oil and add a generous amount of dry rub. Store bought works fine, or you can use either my basic Core Four blend or my Sweet and Spicy Rub (you can't go wrong with either choice)
- Smoke the Chicken - Place the rubbed chicken on the smoker, close the lid, and let the magic happen. Feel free to enjoy a cold beer or a glass of wine while the chicken cooks. Let the chicken smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 F to 155 F. (Yea, yea, I know most people will say chicken needs to be cooked to 165 F but they're wrong. Chicken is just as safe if held at 150 F for about 3 minutes, or 155 F for just 45 seconds. And it will be juicier and taste so much better) Mental note - I really need to write a full article on this
- Remove, Slice, and Serve - Once your chicken breast is up to temp, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then serve while still warm
How Long To Smoke Chicken Breast
First of all, you should worry less about time and more about temperature. There are many factors that can affect cooking time, from the ambient temperature outside the smoker to the size of your breasts. Ok, that sounded pretty weird...let's just say the bigger your breasts the longer the cook time will be. Uhh, you know what...lets's just change the subject.
On average, chicken breast will take about 90 minutes to smoke. But that's an average. It could be an hour, it could be two. Again, forget the time and just use a reliable instant read thermometer to tell you when your chicken breast is cooked.
What Variety of Wood of Pellets Works With Smoked Chicken Breast?
Chicken’s mild flavor makes it a perfect canvas for smoke, allowing it to easily take on the flavors of the wood as it cooks. Personally, I tend to lean toward a mix of traditional Hickory and some mild fruit woods like apple or cherry. You really can't go wrong here, with one possible exception.
Mesquite wood imparts a very strong flavor and it can overpower chicken breast if you aren't careful. That said, when used in moderation, mesquite is a great option for smoked chicken breast.
What To Serve With Smoked Chicken Breast
Smoked chicken breast is incredibly versatile and you can probably use it in about 1,000 different ways. Here are some suggestions:
- Sliced and tossed with pasta (use as an alternative way to prepare creamy garlic chicken or creamy tuscan chicken)
- Served BBQ style with some barbecue sauce on the side
- Serve with garlic mashed potatoes or creamy mac and cheese
- Slice and add to homemade chicken and cheese quesadillas
- Shred the chicken and use for tacos
- Dice and add to some sheet pan nachos
- Use as a BBQ pizza topping
- Use in sandwiches, wraps, and salads
Mistakes To Avoid
- Overcooking the Chicken - Chicken breast is low in fat and not very forgiving. It's easy to overcook, so you really need to pay attention and cook to temperature rather than relying on cooking time
- Not Seasoning Enough - Chicken breast has a very mild flavor, and inexperienced home cooks often underestimate how much seasoning to use. Don't be a Scrooge with your dry rub!
- Not Considering Size - Chicken breasts can vary dramatically in thickness. If you put a small breast and a huge one on a smoker at the same time, they're unlikely to finish together. Check each piece individually and remove them as they're done
- Time vs Temp - "Smoke for 90 minutes" is just a gerneral guideline. Breast size, starting temperature, smoker temperature, weather, and the smoker itself can all affect cooking time. Make sure you have a meat thermometer on hand to determine when your chicken is really cooked.
- Opening the Smoker Constantly - Listen, its only natural you want to sneak a peek at the breasts. But every peek releases heat from the smoker and extends the cooking time. A leave-in temperature probe makes it much easier to monitor the chicken without repeatedly opening the smoker.
Storage And Reheating
Store smoked chicken in an airtight sontainer and it will keep in the fridge for about three to four days. For longer storage keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Gentle reheating works best with smoked chicken breast as it keeps the chicken from drying out. Blasting it in the microwave is generally not the best idea.
Instead, slice the smoked chicken breast and add to a skillet on medium-low heat along with a small amount of chicken stock. Warming the chicken slowly will give yoou the best results.
Smoked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your smoked to 225 F
- Pat dry your chicken breast with paper towels. Drizzle on a small amount of olove oil and then sprinkle on a generous amount of your favorite dry rub
- Add the chicken to the smoker and cook until it reaches an internal temp of 150 F to 155 F
- Remove from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes and then serve warm
What a fantastic and easy Smoked Chicken Breast recipe, Mike! I completely agree with your tip about pulling the chicken at 150 F instead of 165 F to keep it perfectly juicy. Such a great, foolproof guide on how to smoke chicken breast!
Thanks Betty! It's one of my family's favorites!
This smoked chicken breast is so easy to make. I used honey hog rub from meatchurch and it came out amazing.
hey Tim! Meatchurch is good stuff! I like their Gospel rub a lot
That smoked chicken looks incredible, Mike! I can think of dozens of ways to use it. And great tips on the smoker and types of wood to use for chicken. Makes me want to run outside now and fire up the smoker!!
Thanks David! It's so easy to make, and like you said it can be used in lots of recipes