Legacy Farms Smoked Whole Chicken
Juicy, flavorful, herb-seasoned chicken with smoky, golden-brown skin. This recipe starts with an overnight brine featuring our Legacy Farms Poultry Seasoning, then finishes on the pellet grill for tender meat and beautifully browned skin.
Ingredients
For the Brine
1 gallon cold water
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Legacy Farms Poultry Seasoning
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 lemon, sliced
1 small onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
For the Chicken
1 whole chicken, approximately 4–6 pounds
2 tablespoons melted butter, olive oil, or beef tallow
1–2 tablespoons Legacy Farms Poultry Seasoning
Legacy Farms Poultry Seasoning: Organic thyme leaf, organic sage leaf, organic marjoram leaf, and organic rosemary leaf.
Instructions
1. Prepare the Brine
Place 2 cups of the water, kosher salt, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
Remove from the heat and stir in the poultry seasoning, peppercorns, garlic, lemon, onion, and bay leaves.
Add the remaining cold water and allow the brine to cool completely before adding the chicken.
2. Brine the Chicken Overnight
Place the whole chicken in a large food-safe container or brining bag. Pour the cooled brine over the chicken, making sure it is completely submerged.
Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.
For the best flavor and texture, don't brine longer than 12 hours.
3. Dry the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine.
Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. There's no need to rinse the chicken.
Place the chicken uncovered in the refrigerator for 1–4 hours. This allows the skin to dry, which helps produce better browning and crispier skin on the smoker.
4. Season the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat dry once more.
Remove the giblets if necessary. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken and loosely tie the legs together with butcher's twine if desired.
Brush the entire chicken with melted butter, olive oil, or beef tallow.
Generously season all sides of the chicken with Legacy Farms Poultry Seasoning.
Because the chicken has already been brined, additional salt isn't necessary.
5. Smoke the Chicken
Preheat your pellet grill to 275°F.
Apple, cherry, maple, or a combination of these pellets work especially well with chicken.
Place the chicken breast-side up directly on the grill grates.
Smoke at 275°F until the internal temperature of the breast reaches approximately 150–155°F. Depending on the size of the chicken, this will generally take 1½–2½ hours, but always cook according to temperature rather than time.
6. Crisp the Skin
Once the breast reaches 150–155°F, increase the pellet grill temperature to 375–400°F.
Continue cooking until the breast reaches 165°F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches approximately 175–185°F.
For an extra flavorful finish, brush the chicken with a little melted butter during the final 10–15 minutes and sprinkle with a small amount of additional poultry seasoning.
7. Rest and Serve
Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a juicier chicken.
Carve, serve, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
Don't skip the drying step. An uncovered rest in the refrigerator after brining helps remove moisture from the skin and is one of the easiest ways to improve the texture of smoked chicken.
Use a thermometer. Smoking times can vary considerably depending on the size of the chicken and your particular pellet grill. Temperature is the best indicator of doneness.
Want even crispier skin? Finish the chicken at 400°F for the final few minutes, watching carefully so the skin doesn't burn.
Save the drippings. Place a shallow pan underneath the chicken to catch the flavorful drippings. They're wonderful for making gravy or a simple pan sauce.
Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Brining Time: 8–12 hours
Drying Time: 1–4 hours
Smoking Time: Approximately 1½–2½ hours
Resting Time: 15–20 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Featured Farm Store Product: Legacy Farms Fresh Whole Chicken and organic Poultry Seasoning
