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Smoked Grilled Chicken

This recipe is one of the least fussy ways we’ve ever grilled chicken. The bonus is that it’s juicy with a beautiful balance of smoky flavor. The smoking comes from using a small amount of soaked wood chips over charcoal. Our chicken turned out the most gorgeous golden color, and the chicken dripped with moisture. This chicken was incredibly flavorful!
Course main
Cuisine American, Grilling
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 4 people
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Equipment

  • A dependable instant read thermometer
  • Foil
  • Chimney starter (best way to start charcoal)

Ingredients

Brine:

  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup sugar

CHICKEN:

  • 6 pounds chicken parts bone-in breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Pepper

GRILL:

  • 1 Large disposable Aluminum roasting pan if using charcoal or disposable aluminum pie plate (if using gas)
  • wood chunks soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained (if using charcoal) or 3 cups wood chips, half of chips soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained (if using gas) if using charcoal or 3 cups wood chips, half of chips soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained (if using gas)

Instructions

Brine:

  • Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Remove chicken from brine (I dumped it into a large strainer) and set on a baking sheet, lined with paper towels. Pat dry with paper towels. NOTE: Do not rinse chicken, as it has been salted with the brine!
  • Brush both sides of chicken with oil and season with pepper.

Prepare the grill:

  • For a Charcoal Grill: Open bottom vent halfway.
  • Arrange disposable pan filled with 2 cups water on 1 side of grill and 2 quarts unlit charcoal briquettes (approx 34 briquettes) against empty side of grill.
  • Light large chimney starter filled halfway with charcoal briquettes (3-quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour on top of unlit briquettes, keeping coals steeply banked against side of grill.
  • Place wood chunks* on top of coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway.
  • Heat grill until hot and wood chunks begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
  • *NOTES: We didn't use wood chunks, instead 1 cup of apple chips were soaked in water for 1/2 hour, then placed into a foil packet, punctured on the bottom and the top left open. The soaked wood chips were set on top of the hot briquettes right before adding the chicken.

For a gas grill:

  • Use large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap soaked chips into foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
    Wrap unsoaked chips in second foil packet and cut several vent holes in top. Place wood chip packets directly on primary burner.
    Place disposable pie plate with 2 cups water on other burner(s). Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips begin to smoke, about 15 minutes.
    Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s).

Grilling the chicken:

  • Clean and oil cooking grate. (We dip a clean paper towel in a small bowl of vegetable oil and use long tongs to do this.
  • Place chicken, skin side up, as far away from fire as possible with thighs closest to fire and breasts furthest away.
    Cover (positioning lid vent over chicken if using charcoal) and cook until breasts register 160°F and thighs/drumsticks register 175°F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. NOTE: We never lifted the lid, or moved the chicken around. Just let the chicken grill nice and slow.
  • Transfer chicken to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Avoid mesquite wood chunks for this recipe: we find that the meat can turn bitter if they smolder too long. When using a charcoal grill, we prefer wood chunks to wood chips whenever possible. If using a gas grill, you will need to use wood chips.
Recipe source: (Cook's Illustrated July 2011)