The most important thing to keep in mind when you smoke chicken breasts on a pellet grill or cooking chicken breasts, in general, is to cook them thoroughly. Unlike beef, chicken needs to reach an internal temp of 165°F to be safe. After taking that unavoidable advice, there are tips below regarding what wood to use, how long to rest, the best temperature to smoke chicken, etc.
The best way to smoke chicken breasts on a pellet grill is to smoke them at 225-250°F for about 60-90 minutes or until they reach an internal temp of 165°F in the thickest part of the breast. Use pecan, cherry, or apple woods. Can mix in hickory with fruitwoods. Once you remove the meat from the smoker, rest it loosely covered with foil for 20 minutes before carving.
Do you have more questions about smoking chicken breasts? Do you want to know if and how to brine the chicken, flip or don’t flip? Can it be pink? Read further to find out this and more so your chicken turns out juicy and flavorful.
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How Long Does It Take to Smoke a Chicken Breasts on a Pellet Grill?
This depends on the temperature you’ve set your pellet grill. First, after your smoker has reached 225°F, place the chicken breasts in the center of the lower rack. Smoke at 225°F until the center of the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take about one hour to 90 minutes.
Several factors go into how long it will take for your chicken breast to cook. If you butterfly or pound the chicken before smoking it, your cooking time will be shorter. If it’s cold outside, your pellet grill may have a more challenging time keeping a steady temperature which can cause a longer cook time.
What Temperature Do You Smoke Chicken Breasts on a Pellet Grill?
You have options. Go low and slow or hot and fast. The best temperature for smoking chicken falls somewhere between setting your smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F. Smoking at this low temperature will take about 1 hour to 1.5 hours to get the chicken breast to an internal temperature of 165°F.
How Long Does It Take to Smoke Chicken Breasts at 225 Degrees F?
Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Prepare the chicken with a rub or seasoning of your choice. Place chicken onto the lower grate and close the lid. Smoke the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take about 60-80 minutes.
How Do You Keep Chicken Breast Moist When Smoking?
Chicken breast keeps more moist cooking in a smoker versus an indoor oven without doing anything to the meat. You can also use dry or wet brine to add flavor while keeping the chicken moist. For a dry brine, just sprinkle the chicken breast with salt and refrigerate for a few hours.
For wet brine, soak the chicken breast in seasoned brine for 3 to 4 hours before you are ready to smoke it. This imparts flavor and keeps the meat from drying out too quickly.
Do You Flip Chicken Breast When Smoking?
No, you don’t have to flip chicken breasts when smoking since the smoke and heat encircle the chicken. However, I recommend flipping the chicken at least once so you can get excellent grill marks and help maintain even cooking. This might seem counterintuitive since the meat is encircled by heated air, but I find the part of the meat facing down directly over the firebox has more heat directed to it.
What Kind of Wood is Good for Smoking Chicken Breasts?
When smoking chicken, choose the wood that will complement the bird. Chicken isn’t a very strong flavored meat, so that you can go lighter in your choice of wood. Chicken pairs well with sweet or fruitwoods such as pecan, cherry, and apple. Stronger woods such as hickory and mesquite can overpower chicken, leaving it tasting bitter, so I suggest avoiding those woods.
Hickory has a more robust flavor than fruit woods, but it’s another good option because it will impart a more powerful savory flavor. Hickory can also come across bacon-y. Make sure you don’t use a lot of it or risk imparting a bitter taste to the chicken. It’s a great option to mix hickory with fruitwood.
Do You Wrap Chicken in Foil When Smoking?
You don’t wrap chicken in foil during smoking. Once cooked and removed from the smoker, make sure to wrap the meat in foil and rest for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, so the chicken is more flavorful.
How Do You Tell If Smoked Chicken is Done?
Chicken is meat you can’t rely on its look to know when it’s done. Smoked chicken, just like any other method of cooking chicken, is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. You need to use an instant-read thermometer to understand the internal temp. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of your chicken breast. If smoking a chicken or piece of a chicken has bones, make sure you don’t touch any chicken bones with the thermometer.
Should Smoked Chicken Be Pink Inside?
Yes, smoked chicken can have some pink inside. When you are smoking meat “low and slow,” a pink tinge will typically form. Even after all parts of the chicken have reached an internal temperature of 165°F, you may see a pink-colored rim around the side of the meat located closest to the surface or close to the bones.
How Long Should You Brine Chicken Breast?
You don’t need to brine chicken very long. It only takes 30 minutes in a simple brine solution of 1/4 cup kosher salt dissolved in 4 cups water. This is all the time you need for the chicken breasts to absorb enough moisture to better hold up to the heat inside a pellet grill, smoker, or barbecue.
How Long Do You Let Smoked Chicken Rest?
After the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°F, remove it from the heat and let the chicken rest for 20 minutes, loosely covered with foil before carving.
Conclusion
Follow the easy steps of smoking your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and your meat will be safe to eat. Use the appropriate wood by staying away from only using hickory or mesquite, and your chicken will come out with a great smoke flavor. Rest it for 20 minutes before slicing, and your chicken will be juicy.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your favorite Smoking Food Board!!
If you’re curious about smoking chicken on your pellet grill, check out these recipes!
