Masterbuilt smoked chicken breasts
Sick of constantly being disappointed by dry and dull chicken breasts? Fear not, my friend! With a Masterbuilt electric smoker, you can transform those bland bird bits into juicy and flavorful morsels of deliciousness.
Equipment
- 1 Masterbuilt smoker
- 1 wood chips (use wood type you like)
- 1 meat thermometer
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 meat tongs
- 6 paper towels
- 1 kitchen knife
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken breasts (use high quality)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce Choose your favorite BBQ sauce to baste your chicken breasts as they smoke
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
For the rub
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Trim visible fat from chicken breasts: This will help your chicken breasts cook more evenly.
- Pat chicken dry: Use clean paper towels to pat your chicken breasts dry.
- Drizzle with olive oil: Pat chicken breasts with olive oil and rub all over until fully coated.
- Prepare the dry rub: In a small bowl, mix together all the seasoning ingredients. Use your hands or a spoon to mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
- Rub chicken with seasoning: Rub chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of prepared seasoning (or any seasoning blend of your choice). Then Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Preheat smoker to 225 °F: This is the right temperature for smoking chicken breasts. Smoke chicken directly on rack: Smoke your chicken breasts directly on the rack for 3-5 hours depending on thickness of your meat.
- Baste the chicken with BBQ sauce. During the last hour baste with BBQ sauce and place back on the rack and smoke for an additional hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. Check for doneness by cutting into the thickest part and ensuring the juices run clear with no pink meat. Serve with remaining sauce.
- Optional searing: If you want to sear your chicken breasts for extra flavor and texture, preheat your gas grill to high heat when your chicken almost reaches an internal temperature of 160 °F. Once your chicken reaches 160 °F, remove it from the smoker and sear it for 1-2 minutes per side on your gas grill.
- Let chicken rest: Remove your chicken from the smoker (or gas grill if searing) and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. The internal temperature of the chicken will continue to rise to 165 °F as it rests.
Notes
- Brine your chicken breasts for a few hours before smoking for extra juiciness.
- Add wood chips sparingly to prevent a bitter taste.
- Prepare your food in advance to let the flavors meld.
- To achieve crispy skin, consider smoking at a low temperature for a long time and then cooking at high temperature for a short time.
- Chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. Using a meat thermometer can help ensure accuracy.
- You can experiment with different seasonings, such as Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, garlic and herb, or jerk seasoning.
- To prevent your chicken from becoming dry, consider using a brine or marinade before smoking.
- For best results, control the temperature of your smoker effectively. Avoid over-smoking your food, as this can result in a bitter taste.
- Leftover smoked chicken breasts can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow them to thaw slowly.
Nutrition
Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 49gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 2746mgPotassium: 1073mgFiber: 2gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1219IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!