Smoked Chicken Breast is just that – Chicken that has been smoked, or to be more precise – Chicken Breasts that have been brined, seasoned, then smoked for a few hours in the smoker. The result is juicy, smoky, fork tender, all white meat chicken that will have you wanting more…..
Simple to prepare, delicious to eat, guaranteed juicy (only if it has been brined before hand), this Smoked Chicken Breast will not disappoint.
Ingredients
- Brined Chicken Breast: see how to do this in the recipe for Chicken Brine Recipe.
- Olive oil.
- Seasoning: I used Chorizo Seasoning.
- Salt and pepper.
Instructions
After brining the Chicken Breasts, pat them dry using a paper towel. Brush olive oil onto each breast and then apply seasoning on both sides. You’ll need about ½ tbsp of seasoning per side.
Set the smoker to about 200 degrees F.
Once the temperature has been reached in the smoker, place the seasoned Chicken Breasts on the grill. Smoke Chicken for 30 minutes at 200 degrees F., then increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees F. Smoke them until the internal temperature of 165 degrees F., according to a digital thermometer, has been reached.
When a temperature of 165 degrees F (USDA recommendation) has been reached, remove the Chicken from the smoker and allow them to rest for 20 minutes. Slice or serve whole.
Flexibility
Brining
Do not forego brining the Chicken Breasts. As Breast meat is typically drier than leg, wing and thigh meat of the Chicken, brine the Breasts to ensure moisture after they have been smoked. Follow all the steps in the Chicken Brine Recipe to achieve fully brined Breast meat.
Ingredients
Any type of seasoning can be used, there are many store bought seasonings on the market. Pick one that sounds good or make your own like I did. I highly recommend using the Chorizo Seasoning like I did. Other seasoning that I have made are Lemon Pepper and Blackening Seasoning. They will also compliment the Smoked Chicken Breast.
You can of course use other cuts of Chicken instead of using the Breast meat. Follow the Chicken Brine recipe, and then follow this recipe step by step to get similar results. Don’t forget to take the temperature of the meat using a digital thermometer. The taste and cooking time will be the only difference when using other Chicken cuts.
Equipment
If you don’t have a smoker but would like to make this recipe – fear not. Refer to the recipe for Double Smoked Ham and see the “Flexibility with Equipment” section to see how to turn your kitchen oven into a smoker!
Uses for Smoked Chicken Breast
There are so many ways to incorporate Smoked Chicken Breast in your life!
- Toss it in or on a salad.
- Make a sandwich with it, open face on sourdough or as a complete sandwich with a Hawaiian bun.
- Throw it into cooked pasta with sautéed vegetables.
- Or my favorite way to use Smoked Chicken Breast is in a taco, with all the usual taco accompaniments.
Storage
Store Smoked Chicken Breast in an airtight container or better yet a Ziploc bag. The color and smell of the seasoning will brush off onto the food storage container so using a disposable bag allows you to throw it away after use.
Freeze the Chicken Breasts in a freezer storage bag. Use within 4 months and defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Equipment
A grill / smoker is needed for this recipe, although Smoked Chicken Breast can be made without one in the oven (See ‘Flexibility with Equipment.’ in the Double Smoked Ham recipe)
I used a Yoder Smoker. It is one of the top smokers on the market in the U.S. We bought this smoker because it is made in America, designed to last a life time and made from steel. All the doors are fully welded, and the offset smoking chamber keeps the smoke flowing and the temperature consistent.
For more information on Yoder Smokers refer to their website.
A Tip From Me
Always use a digital thermometer when checking the temperature of meat. It is the only accurate method to ensure meat is fully cooked and therefore safe to eat. Testing the firmness of meat fibers by using your fingers will give you an idea of how well the meat is cooked but only an idea . A digital thermometer is accurate and takes away all the guess work.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully?
- Does Smoked Chicken Breast have to rest when it comes off the smoker? Yes, let it rest for 20 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute in the muscle fibers.
- What is the best wood chips to use? Wood chips to use that compliment the flavor of Chicken are, pecan, mesquite, cherry and apple.
- Should the Chicken Breasts be wrapped in foil during smoking? No, wrapping the chicken in foil will disable the smoky air flow. Use foil however during resting time.
Smoked Chicken Breast
Equipment
- 1 Smoker Read the post to see how to make this recipe without a smoker.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast 5 large breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 tbsp seasoning ½ tbsp of seasoning for both sides of each chicken breast.
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Set the smoker to 200 degrees F.
- Use brined chicken breasts. Use the Chicken Brine recipe to do this. Once the breasts have been brined, remove them from the brine and pat them dry using a paper towel. Brush olive oil onto each breast and then apply seasoning on both sides. You'll need about ½ tbsp of seasoning per side.
- Once the temperature has been reached in the smoker, place the seasoned chicken breasts on the grill. Smoke Chicken for 30 minutes at 200 degrees F., then increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Using a digital thermometer, check the internal temperature of each chicken breast. When a temperature of 165 degrees F has been reached, then remove the chicken from the smoker and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice or serve whole.
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