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smoked chicken

Smoked Whole Chicken on a Pellet Grill

Paul SidoriakPaul Sidoriak
If you're looking for an easy way to grill whole chicken, the pellet grill is your answer. Use it like a flavorful oven to make a wonderfully smoky chicken that's roasted to perfection.
4.84 from 12 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Low Carb Recipes, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 456 kcal

Equipment

  • Pellet Grill

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chicken seasoning
  • ½ lemon sliced
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 4 rosemary sprigs

Instructions
 

  • Remove any giblets from the chicken
  • Wash and pat dry
  • Optional:
    Place the chicken on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath and allow it to dry in the refrigerator for 2-4hours or overnight. This will further dry the chicken skin and promote browning
  • Preheat your pellet grill to 225F
  • Brush the chicken skin with olive oil
  • Lightly season the inside of the chicken cavity, reserving the majority of the seasoning for the skin
  • Stuff the bird with lemon slices, onion, and rosemary sprigs
  • Cross the two chicken legs and tie them together using butchers’ twine to secure them in front of the cavity to promote even cooking. You can optionally also tuck the wings under the chicken by pushing the flats down toward the rear of the bird and tucking them underneath
  • Season the exterior of the bird with the remaining chicken season so it’s well covered
  • Insert a digital meat thermometer or the grill’s thermometer into the centermost and thickest part of the chicken breast side without touching any bone
  • Place the chicken on your pellet grill and smoke for one hour at 225F
  • Increase the heat on your grill to375F and continue roasting until the white and dark meat reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
  • Remove the cooked chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes. Snip and discard the butcher twine and enjoy.

Notes

Cooking times are always approximate when making something like pellet grill chicken. Please be sure and use a digital probe thermometer to monitor the doneness of the food.
Once you learn how simple it is to grill whole chicken, you will want to make this dish regularly. If you prefer butterflied chicken, just cook it with the chicken skin side up. This will make juicy chicken that's delicious on it's own or served with just a sprinkle of kosher salt.
Here are some other pellet grill recipes we enjoy cooking that are worth taking a look at.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ozCalories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 36gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 135mgPotassium: 412mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 323IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 3mg
Keyword pellet grill, smoked chicken
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