Smoked Chicken Breast

If you’re ready to cook the juiciest, most flavorful, tender chicken breast you’ve ever eaten, then this smoked chicken breast recipe is for you! This simple, easy to follow recipe will be a welcome addition in your weekly rotation, so stop reading and fire up that smoker. As always, if you make this Smoked Chicken Breast recipe, please let me know how it was in the comments.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless chicken breast, preferably air chilled
1 tablespoon olive oil, substitute any other vegetable oil

Dry Rub

1 tablespoon salt
3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika, preferably smoked
1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar, substitute coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

Grilling Tools

1 MEATER Plus Bluetooth Thermometer, optional but recommended
1 ThermoPro Instant Read Thermometer, optional

Steps

1. Preheat the smoker

Preheat smoker to 225°F according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most pellet grills don’t need it, but you can add a pan of water in the corner of the smoker to keep moisture inside. If using a Traeger with the Super Smoke setting, turn it on as well.

2. Make the smoked chicken breast rub

In a medium sized bowl, mix together all of the dry rub ingredients.

3. Prep the chicken

Spread the olive oil evenly over all of the chicken breasts, and then apply an even layer of the seasoning mixture.

4. Smoke the chicken breasts

Place the chicken breasts in the smoker and smoke at 225°F until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F in the thickest part of the breast, approximately 1-1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the chicken. There’s no need to wait until they’ve all reached 160°F; remove each chicken breast as they finish. The smoked chicken breasts will continue to cook once removed from the smoker and eventually reach a final temperature of 165℉.

I recommend using an internal meat thermometer to easily keep track of the temperature. Remember, always cook to temperature and not time!

5. Rest the smoked chicken breasts

Remove the smoked chicken breasts from the smoker and transfer them to a carving board. Tent them loosely with foil and let them rest on the counter for 10-20 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute back into the meat and not run out when slicing.