The Smartest Way to Smoke a Chicken

Spatchcocking is the single greatest technique upgrade you can make to your whole chicken game. By removing the backbone and pressing the bird flat, you solve the biggest problem in poultry cooking: the breast drying out before the thighs are done. A spatchcocked chicken cooks evenly, smokes faster, and develops an absurd amount of crispy skin surface area.

How to Spatchcock

Flip the chicken breast-side down. Using heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it entirely (save it for stock). Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone until you hear it crack and the bird lays flat. That is it -- you have just cut your cook time in half and guaranteed even cooking.

Why It Works

When a chicken is flat, every part of the bird is at roughly the same distance from the heat source. The thighs, which need more heat, are exposed directly to it instead of being tucked underneath. The breast, which tends to dry out, gets protection from the bone side being exposed to the heat while the skin side faces up and crisps beautifully.

The Dry Brine

Salt the chicken generously and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for 4-24 hours. This dry brine does three things: seasons the meat throughout, draws moisture to the surface where it evaporates (ensuring crispy skin), and restructures the proteins to retain more juice during cooking.

Smoking Temperature

Run the smoker at 275°F (135°C) -- hot enough for crispy skin but slow enough for smoke penetration. The chicken will be done in about 90 minutes, reaching 165°F (74°C) in the thigh. Cherry or apple wood gives the best results with poultry.

Pro Tips

• Save the backbone for making smoked chicken stock -- it is liquid gold
• Tuck the wing tips behind the breast to prevent burning
• A wire rack over a sheet pan makes transport to the smoker easy
• The chicken is done when the thigh joint wiggles freely and juices run clear
• Rest for 10 minutes before carving for maximum juice retention