Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken (Juicy & Crispy)
Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken is a whole chicken rubbed with simple seasoning and cooked low and slow on a pellet grill until tender, smoky, and perfectly juicy. It’s a no-fuss smoker recipe that works beautifully for backyard BBQs, family dinners, or prepping protein for the week ahead. Unlike store-bought rotisserie or single-temperature smoker methods, this version starts at 225°F for rich wood-fired flavor and finishes at a higher heat to help the skin crisp while bringing the breast to 165°F and the thighs to 175°F.
Servings: 8
Calories: 247kcal
Equipment
- 1 Traeger Grill or pellet grill
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken 3-4 lbs
- ¼ cup Spice Rub
- 4-6 tablespoon Butter
- 1 Lemon quartered
- 1 Onion quartered
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 8-10 sprigs Aromatics use your favorites
Instructions
- Allow your whole chicken to come to room temperature. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels.1 Whole Chicken
- Stuff the cavity with the onion, lemon, garlic, and aromatics.1 Lemon, 1 Onion, 4 cloves Garlic, 8-10 sprigs Aromatics
- Truss the chicken by tying the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.
- Slide a pat of butter under the skin of each breast.4-6 tablespoon Butter
- Thoroughly season the chicken with your dry rub, breast side down, first. Then turn the chicken breast side up and season the other side.¼ cup Spice Rub
- Place your whole chicken directly on the grill grates of your pellet smoker or Traeger grill, breast side up. Smoke it for 3 hours at 225, then check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer. If the chicken has not reached an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees, increase the heat to 275 and smoke for another 30-45 minutes or until fully cooked. Your cooking time may vary depending on the size of the bird. Once the thickest part of the breast registers an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees f, remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 15-30 minutes before serving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, which helps keep every slice tender and prevents moisture loss when carving.
Notes
Expert Tips And Notes
- Brine: If you have time, brine the chicken, as it will impart a ton of flavor—all while also helping to keep your whole chicken moist, tender, and juicy.
- Spray: Every 30-40 minutes, squirt the chicken skin with a little bit of apple cider vinegar from a conventional spray bottle. This will help keep the skin moist and help prevent the skin from drying out. You can also rub a little olive oil on the it to help ensure you are left with crispy skin.
- Season: Don’t skip on the dry rub! You will want to really cover the whole chicken with seasoning; be generous! The dry rub will provide a lot of flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
