Skip to main content
Main Dishes • American

Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill Recipe

Your summer barbecues aren't complete without this easy smoked whole chicken! Prepared with a simple yet flavorful spice rub, this chicken is smoked to perfection for the most succulent, tender and moist meat.

5.0 from 149 votes
220 mins
Total Time
6
servings
Jump to Recipe
Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill

How to Make the Best Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of a whole chicken smoking low and slow on a pellet grill. This smoked whole chicken on a pellet grill is the ultimate centerpiece for your summer barbecue—juicy, tender, and packed with smoky flavor that’ll have your guests coming back for seconds.

The secret to this recipe is the dry brine technique, which gives you incredibly crisp, golden skin while keeping the meat incredibly moist. A simple but flavorful spice rub with chili powder, brown sugar, and warm spices like cumin and paprika coats every inch of the bird. With just ten minutes of hands-on prep time, you can smoke one chicken or multiple birds at once, making this the perfect recipe for feeding a crowd.

Best of all, this recipe comes together with minimal fuss. Once you’ve brined the chicken and got your smoker up to temperature, it’s mostly hands-off—just let the smoke work its magic. The result is restaurant-quality smoked chicken that tastes even better than it sounds.

Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill

Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill

Your summer barbecues aren't complete without this easy smoked whole chicken! Prepared with a simple yet flavorful spice rub, this chicken is smoked to perfection for the most succulent, tender and moist meat.

5.0 from 149 votes
CourseMain Dishes
CuisineAmerican
Keywordbest smoked chicken, pellet grill whole chicken, smoked chicken, smoked whole chicken, whole chicken on pellet grill
Prep Time210 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time220 mins
Servings6 servings
Calories301kcal
AuthorAlex Raeburn
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the Chicken & Brine

For the Spice Rub

For Finishing

Instructions

Dry Brine the Chicken

  1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then generously sprinkle with salt and rub into the skin.
  2. Stuff the chicken cavity with lime wedges and use kitchen or butcher twine to tie the legs to keep them tight.
  3. Place the chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least four hours, though overnight is ideal. Do not wipe off the salt after brining.

Prepare the Smoker & Spice Rub

  1. Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions, fill the water pan and set the temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. As the smoker heats, make the spice rub by stirring together the chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and mustard powder.

Smoke the Chicken

  1. Rub the spice mixture all over the skin. Gently lift the skin and rub some spices directly onto the meat as well.
  2. Place the chicken in the smoker with the breast-side up and thighs closest to the heat source. Try to tuck in the wing tips if possible.
  3. Insert a leave-in thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat without touching a bone.
  4. Close the smoker and smoke the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 130-140 degrees. Replenish the wood if necessary while cooking.

Finish & Serve

  1. Open the smoker, brush the skin with olive oil and BBQ sauce if desired and crank up the heat to 350 degrees to finish cooking.
  2. The chicken is done when it reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast meat and 175 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh meat.
  3. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
  4. Carve with a sharp knife. If desired, serve with additional BBQ sauce. Enjoy!
Jump to Recipe