My husband and I had an agreement when we got married. I cook. He cleans. I often say I got the more enjoyable side of that bargain, but I think it truly depends on who you ask. He doesn’t love to cook. And I honestly let most people know how much I detest laundry.

What makes the arrangement entertaining, is that my outdoor cooking equipment is often viewed as “Man Tools”. Um, not in this house, friends. Our smoker happens to be named “Mama’s Lil Toy” in our app. My husband’s doing, because he’s still not jumping at cooking.

The smoker is my lovely kitchen extension that can be used year-round. (Unlike my equally adored Blackstone, which has a seasonal shelf life in Minnesota unfortunately.)

My winter smoker obsession is chicken.

For three reasons really.

1. It gives me a chance to use all my local faves. I have a subscription for whole chickens from a farm in Southern Minnesota. There is a gentleman 10 minutes north of me who makes incredible spice rubs and sauces. So… I buy local and pack a bunch of it in this recipe.

2. It’s easy. Like, one of the easiest things you can make on a smoker. It’s very set and forget. Brisket or ribs require a ton of attention and maintenance. This goes on the smoker and 2.5 hours later, it comes off ready to eat. Absolutely perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

3. You can “overcook” and use the extras later. I almost always make more than one chicken and use the leftovers for things like soup or these chimichangas. It makes for two easy meal nights.

** A lagging 4th reason is that my children will absolutely devour anything off the smoker.

Cooking Notes

This recipe truly is so simple.

Heat your smoker to 275 degrees.

While it’s coming to temp, loosen the skin on top of the chicken breast. Put two tablespoons of softened butter under the skin, mashing it down a bit so that it “fills” the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the skin generously with your favorite rub.

**If you don’t have a favorite, I do have an easy optional rub at the bottom of this recipe that uses spices most folks have at home.

Here I’m going to be honest and admit I used a favorite made by someone else.

Place the chicken on the smoker. If you have temperature probes, it is good to insert one in the thickest part of the breast to keep tabs on the internal temp.

The chickens I buy range in size from 3-4 pounds. A 3.5 pound chicken takes about two and half hours. The thermometer should reach 165 when done.

When ready, take the chicken off the smoker and allow to rest for about 10-15 minutes.

Slice up and serve with your favorite roast vegetables or a quick salad. If you made two, try to keep your family from enough of the second chicken to still be able to use it for dinner later in the week.

Or is that just a side effect in my house?

Sunday Smoked Chicken

An easy smoked chicken that delivers big flavor with very little effort. A go-to for cozy dinners and the kind of leftovers that turn into next night’s meal.

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Equipment

Pellet Smoker

Ingredients

Chickens

1 or 2 3-4 lb whole chickens if you want extra for later in the week, I usually cook 2
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup favorite seasoning rub feel free to buy one; I include a recipe below as well

Northern Smoke Rub

1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp of smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cardamom or oregano – depending upon what’s in your pantry
1/2 tsp dried mustard

Instructions

Heat your smoker to 275 degrees.
Loosen the skin over the chicken breasts and place softened butter under the skin
Cover the outside of the chicken(s) generously with rub
Place on the smoker
Monitor internal temp starting at one hour and 45 minutes
Total cook time will be 2-2.5 hours
Remove from smoker when internal temp reaches 165 degrees
Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes
Slice and serve