This Smoked Chicken Breast is so good, you will never want another recipe. The spice rub is so full of flavor and the preparation is super easy. So you can spend more time chatting with friends at your next barbeque and still have the best tasting, super moist chicken breast recipe you’ve ever tasted.
But don’t forget to throw some extra chicken on the smoker while you are cooking. This smoked chicken breast recipe heats up great as leftovers an makes for an easy, fast weeknight meal served over your favorite salad.
Ever want to try smoking a whole chicken instead of just the chicken breasts? This Smoked Whole Chicken is fantastic too! Looking for a healthy way to use this, try our chicken spring rolls with dipping sauce recipe.
Smoked Chicken Breast
I used to really worry about chicken breast on the grill or the smoker. Because there is so little fat in the meat, it is easy to dry out the meat and have a lackluster meal. I have found this recipe to be the complete opposite of that. So tender and juicy!
The spice blend on the chicken is made from ingredients likely already in your pantry. But if curry is a new flavor for you, don’t worry! This is a super mild curry flavor – combined with other savory flavors like cumin and smoked paprika, with a little brown sugar for depth and sweetness.
Yep, this is definitely going to be your favorite chicken breast recipe! 🙂 But when you are ready to try some pork on your smoker, try this smoked pork tenderloin recipe for a quick, easy smoker meal. And if you have a little more time, try these smoked pork chops! They are the BEST chops you’ve ever put in your mouth.
How to Smoke Chicken Breast
First, you will want to mix the seasoning together in a small bowl. If your butcher did not remove the fillet from the breast, do that now. (If you are not sure how to properly trim chicken breast, whether you do it yourself or ask your butcher to do it, this is a great tutorial.)
Then place the chicken breasts into a large resealable bag. Pour the seasoning blend into the bag and then seal, pressing the extra air out of the bag. Massage the chicken breasts to coat with the seasoning. Â
Place chicken in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the chicken to absorb the seasoning. I really prefer to leave the chicken breast in the spice mix overnight. I love the taste when it has been able to marinade longer! And I always feel less rushed when I prep food for the grill the night before! I also like to massage the marinated chicken breast at least a few times while it sits to help make sure the chicken is fully coated.
How long to Smoke Chicken Breast
When you are ready to cook, preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. and place the chicken directly on the rack and close the smoker. Â
Cook for approximately 1 hour and 15 min and then check for doneness using a meat thermometer.Â
If you don’t have a digital thermometer for the grill, it is a great investment. It is really helpful to be able to check the temperature of the meat without raising the lid on the smoker. And it is helpful to get an alert when your chicken reaches the proper temperature. Not sure about your house, but my kids are a walking distraction. LOL! The alarm helps me make sure that I grab my chicken before it overcooks!
When the chicken is between 160-165 degrees remove from the smoker. Make sure to cover the chicken with foil and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve leftovers over your favorite salad! We love this chicken breast over Ceasar salad!
Smoked Chicken Breast
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts fillet removed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp madras curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix the seasoning together in a small bowl.
- If your butcher did not remove the fillet from the breast, do that now.
- Then place the chicken breasts into a large resealable bag. Dump the seasoning blend into the bag and then seal, pressing the extra air out of the bag. Massage the chicken breasts to coat with the seasoning.
- Place chicken in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the chicken to absorb the seasoning. Massage at least a few times while it sits to help make sure the chicken is fully coated.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat your smoker to 250 degrees.
- Place the chicken directly on the rack and close the smoker.
- Cook for approximately 1 hour and 15 min and then check for doneness using a meat thermometer.
- When the chicken is between 160-165 degrees remove from the smoker.
- Cove the chicken with foil and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Not a lot of flavor provided by the spices… recipe certainly simple enough and not a lot of spice/cost associated with it. Provided it as an option to guests for Memorial Day; got no positive comments and one negative from a group of 6.
Hi Jerry. Sorry to hear it wasn’t as flavorful as you had hoped. The flavor really comes from a combination of seasoning and smoke. I notice that different smokers produce drastically different flavors…and various types of woods can change things too.
Hi! Thanks for sharing this great recipe. I tried this last weekend for my guests & they loved it.