Traeger Grilled Chicken Recipe - Traeger Chicken Challenge Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take a chicken to cook on the Traeger? ›

Cooking a chicken should take about an hour at 375 degrees, but it can vary depending on the size of the chicken, the outside temperature, and more. You should ensure that your chicken cooks to at least 165 degrees in its thickest part.

In an attempt to prepare a perfectly smoked whole chicken, shoot for temperatures between 225 degrees Fahrenheit to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Some methods (including the Brisk It Grills smoked chicken recipe) start lower (225 or 250 degrees) and later raise the temperature to finish the bird and crisp the skin.

Cook Time for Smoking Whole Chicken

It takes approximately 30-40 minutes per pound at 350°F, or 1 hour per pound at 250°F. for a whole smoked chicken to cook to an internal temperature of 160-163°F.

I like to smoke whole chicken at 300-325 degrees. This temperature works best to really crisp up the skin. Place the bird on the smoker grates for 1½-2 hours – this is typically how long to smoke a chicken.

You should grill chicken breasts for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Keep your grill on medium heat between 425 and 450 degrees, says grill manufacturer Weber. Cook your chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, warns FoodSafety.gov.

How Long Does it Take to Smoke a Chicken at 350 Degrees? All you need is about 40 minutes to have smoked chicken breasts. No waking up at 2am to start the smoker with this one! It is so quick and easy!

Tip #4: Don't Overcook Your Chicken

The FDA-approved temperature for cooking chicken is 165, but your chicken doesn't stop cooking the moment it comes out of the smoker. The bones of the bird hold heat, so you should actually remove from the smoker between 155 and 160 degrees.

You can use different options to wrap your brisket, pork, or chicken before putting it into the food smoker. These include Aluminium foil and butcher paper. Wrapping your brisket in aluminum foil speeds up cooking time and keeps in the meat's fat and juices, leaving it tender.

How do you know when chicken is done in a smoker? ›

Smoking Chicken

Smoke it at 240°-275°F until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. This will take approximately 2-1/2 hours or so but just remember, it's NOT done until it reaches the proper temperature no matter how long it takes.

Cook at Higher Temperatures

First and foremost, smoke your chicken at higher temperatures. The ideal temperature to cook your chicken should be around 275 °F – 320 °F (135 °C – 160 °C). As you start to decrease temperature beyond this threshold, the skin will become rubbery.

Many grillers brine their chicken to keep it juicy during the smoking process, but I prefer the texture of a chicken breast that isn't brined. If you use a good meat thermometer and cook to the correct temperature then your chicken will turn out juicy and full of flavor without needing to brine it first.

Anyway, with the chicken, I put about an inch of hot water in the drip pan right before putting the chicken on the grill plates. It sorta steams with the smoke, helps melt extra fat, but retains moisture. I start, and try to maintain, a grill temp of 200-225, but never hotter.

Smoke for 1 hour at 225°F. Increase the heat on your grill to 375°F and continue roasting approximately 30-60 minutes, or until the white and dark meat reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 15–20 minutes.

Place the whole chicken in your Traeger and cook at it at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-60 minutes. This low and slow start will let the smoke flavor penetrate the bird.

Place the chicken directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 160℉, 2 1/2-3 hours. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. The internal temperature will rise to 165℉ while the chicken rests. Enjoy!

Using an approximately 4lb whole chicken (fully thawed and cavity empty) and smoking at 225 degrees F. it will take approximately 3.5 – 4.5 hours to smoked a whole chicken. That being said the best way to track when your bird is done is to keep track of the internal temp.