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This smoked pulled chicken just melts in your mouth and is loaded with flavor, making them a perfect pairing with pepper jack mac and cheese. Oh and it's great on its own or added to other dishes.
I hopped on the smoked bandwagon last year after buying a pellet grill. From smoked pork tenderloin to smoked short ribs to smoked corned beef to smoked hot dogs to smoked pork butt. The options really are endless.
But my go-to has been chicken. It just really is the best way to prepare. You get great flavor but also keep it juicy, which can be difficult to do with chicken.
And my latest rendition is smoked pulled chicken. By injecting with some apple cider and rubbing a sweet rub on the skin, you get super succulent chicken which is hard to top.
What makes this recipe great though is you can use for sandwiches, casseroles or soups among other dishes. And if you're craving wings, you can never go wrong with these crispy smoked chicken wings.
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Ingredient Notes
- Whole chicken - this recipe is meant for a 3-4 lb chicken.
- Apple cider - I like to mix apple cider with melted butter and inject it into the chicken so it remains extra juicy. This can be skipped however.
- Sugar - by adding some sugar, you get some sweetness to offset the spices. Use light or dark brown sugar for the added molasses.
- Spices - the combination of spices adds just the right amount of heat to work with the sugar.
- BBQ sauce - it doesn't need BBQ sauce but you can add after pulling the chicken. Use your favorite. My go-to is Sweet Baby Ray's.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Remove the giblets, heart and neck from the chicken and pat dry. Combine the injection ingredients in a jar and inject 3 times in each breast, twice in the thighs and once in the legs.
Mix the rub ingredients in a bowl and rub all over the chicken. Preheat the smoker to 225°F and place the chicken in it.
Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 15 minutes before shredding.
FAQs
This recipe is meant for a 3-4 lb chicken. If you use anything larger, the skin will more than likely burn before the chicken is actually done.
No that is what the injection for. However if you want to skip the injection and brine you can do a wet brine or just let the spice mixture sit on the chicken for 24 hours.
You always cook chicken to temperature, not time. With that said, it should take about 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours, depending on the size of the chicken.
In general, it takes about 45 minutes per pound.
You know the chicken is done when you insert a thermometer in the thigh and it reaches 165°F. The key is finding the right part of the thigh and making sure the thermometer doesn't touch the bone.
This recipe isn't mean to use the skin since you are pulling chicken from the bone. You are cooking low and slow which imparts more smoke flavor.
However if you want crispy skin, after smoking for 30 minutes at 225°F, increase the temperature to 375°F and cook for another 1 to 2 hours until it reaches temperature.
Spatchcocking the chicken and adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder to the rub also helps crisp up the chicken.
It is important for the smoked pulled chicken to rest. When the chicken reaches the correct temperature, remove from the smoker and cover loosely in aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes before shredding.
Letting it rest keeps the juices in the chicken.
Oven Option
If you don't have a smoker, you can roast the chicken in the oven. Just place on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook at 350°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until done.
Best Uses for Smoked Pulled Chicken
The beauty of this pulled chicken is you can use it in so many ways:
- BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Fajita Nachos
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
- Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Fajita Wrap
Equipment
The type of equipment you use can have a big impact on the flavor of the smoked chicken. Since this is a smoked recipe, you need to impart some smoked flavor. You have a few different options, including:
- Pellet grill - my favorite as I love the simplicity and flavor.
- Charcoal grill - you can use indirect heat and add some wood chips to the charcoal to create that smoke flavor.
- Smoker - whether it is electric, gas or charcoal, any of them will work to make a great dish.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use apple, cherry or maple wood for smoking. They all complement the chicken perfectly.
- You can skip the injection if you want. It just keeps the chicken super juicy.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- When the chicken reaches the correct temperature, cover loosely in aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes before shredding. Letting it rest keeps the juices in the chicken.
Similar Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this smoked pulled chicken recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. Or you could try this smoked pulled beef! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Smoked Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4 lb) whole chicken
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Apple Cider Injection
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sweet Rub
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Remove the giblets, heart and neck from the chicken and pat dry.
- Combine the apple cider, melted butter, garlic powder and salt in a jar. Inject the mixture 3 times in each breast, twice in each thigh and once in each leg.
- Mix rub ingredients in bowl and rub outside the chicken.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F. Place the chicken in the smoker and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. It should take about 45 minutes per lb, so 2.5-3.5 hours depending on the size of the chicken.
- Once done, remove and let rest for 15 minutes. Shred and drizzle some BBQ sauce over it.
Notes
- Use apple, cherry or maple wood for smoking. They all complement the chicken perfectly.
- You can skip the injection if you want. It just keeps the chicken super juicy.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- When the chicken reaches the correct temperature, cover loosely in aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes before shredding. Letting it rest keeps the juices in the chicken.
Lisa Stone says
I'm looking to make this recipe for a gathering, I will also have pulled pork. How many will this serve? It may have been on there but I possibly missed it!
Ryan says
Depends on how much people will eat, especially with another option, but 6-8 people.