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Roasted chicken with seasoning displayed on a slate board with cutlery on the side.
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3 from 1 vote

Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

Super easy and delicious, this meaty chicken is smoking 101. Fire up your pellet grill/smoker and make something amazing tonight! Serve it with all your favorite BBQ sides for a hearty meal everyone will love!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoked, smoked chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 376kcal
Author: Chef Jenn

Equipment

  • poultry shears

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your Traeger or pellet smoker to 180°F for the low-and-slow smoke phase.
  • Season the spatchcocked chicken liberally on both sides with the Montreal chicken seasoning or your chosen rub.
  • Place the chicken skin-side up on the grill grate.
  • Smoke at 180°F for 1 hour, then increase to 225°F and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 1 to 1.5 hours more).
  • To get crispy skin, remove the cooked chicken from the Traeger turn the heat to 450°F, and grill skin-side down, for about 5-10 minutes or until crisped. If your smoker is greasy, pop the chicken skin-side up in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to crisp.
  • Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

  • Temper the chicken before smoking. This means to let it come to room temperature on the counter before smoking so it cooks more evenly and quickly.
  • Ensure your chicken is fully thawed if previously frozen to guarantee even smoking.
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after it comes off the grill; it's crucial for juiciness.
  • Experiment with different wood chips to find your preferred smoke flavor—apple, cherry, and hickory all offer unique tastes.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness; visually inspecting isn't reliable with smoked meats.
  • Always cook to temperature, not time. The size of the chicken and even the weather will affect how long your chicken takes to cook. Allow about 3 hours in total for a large chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 8-10 ounces | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg