Boneless chicken breasts are a fan favorite amongst all eaters. I was wondering if you’ve ever tried smoked boneless chicken breast recipe. If so, how did you like it? This recipe for Smoked Chicken Breasts makes a chicken breast that is incredibly flavorful, juicy, and quick to prepare; it is perfect for a variety of occasions.
It’s easy enough to throw together even on the busiest of weeknights, and it feeds many people at a backyard barbecue. You only need some chicken and my award-winning Chicken Seasoning to make the best chicken breasts ever.
All poultry benefits greatly from being smoked; use the leftovers to make tasty smoked chicken sandwiches or to sprinkle over salads. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this meal is always a big hit whenever I serve it here.
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Boneless chicken breasts are perfect for smoking
Smoked boneless, skinless chicken breast is one of my go-to chicken preparations. I enjoy spending the night smoking briskets and giving my slow-smoked ribs a lot of love and care, but there’s something special about achieving the perfect, simplest result with a chicken breast on the smoker.
Get some boneless chicken breasts from the store to use as a foundation. These can be purchased reasonably priced at the store and smoked right out of the package. Keep reading my instructions on bringing your chicken before smoking it if you prefer the flavor and texture it imparts over that of unbreaded chicken breast. This is the best way to ensure success. Smoked chicken is best when it has been brined for at least four hours before being smoked. Imagine potential obstacles and prepare accordingly.
Everyone from novice smokers to seasoned pros looking for a quick dinner option will benefit from this straightforward recipe. Try out new seasonings and rubs, or even just bring or leave the meat out altogether.
Moreover, you can experience other chicken breast recipes like How to Smoke Chicken Breast?
What Are the Steps to Smoking a Boneless Chicken Breast?
A delicious recipe for smoked boneless chicken breasts can be found below to whet your appetite. This dish, when prepared by you, will astound your guests. If you want to learn more about the health benefits of chicken breast, you can try another tasty and nutritious recipe: stuffed chicken breast.
Boneless Chicken Breasts Brined and Smoked
To prepare this dish, you’ll first make the brine, then brine the chicken, and finally smoke the chicken. But the question is, what exactly is brine?
Marinade for Smoked Chicken Breasts
Preparing a brine for your smoked chicken breast is optional. Compared to brined chicken, I prefer the taste and texture of chicken that has been smoked directly after being prepared. The brining process, in which salt and sugar are added to the meat, alters the cellular structure of the meat, allowing the cell walls to retain more liquid after the meat is cooked.
A chicken breast that has not been brined has a more delicious texture, but many smokers and grillers do so to keep the chicken juicy during smoking. You won’t need to bring the chicken ahead of time if you use a good meat thermometer and ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. In this case, the chicken will be juicy and flavorful.
You should try the brined and the unbrined chicken breasts to see which one you like better. If you want to brine the chicken breasts before smoking them, follow these steps. Always plan ahead and allow plenty of time for the chicken to marinate in the brine before beginning the smoking process.
Make a Brine
Combine three tablespoons of Kosher salt, four cups of water, and one tablespoon of sugar in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat; then add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Put the brine in a bowl, turn off the heat, and let it cool to room temperature before using.
This Chicken Is Soaked In Brine
Put the chicken breasts in the brine and let them sit for four hours to develop the flavor. Fast action is required to avoid over-brined chicken.
The chicken is brined, patted dry, then cooked according to the directions on the recipe card. Then leave your final thoughts in the section below! What’s your chicken smoking routine like? Do you season the chicken before smoking it or throw it on the grill as is?
A Guide to Smoking Chicken Breasts
Smoking chicken breasts is an easy and straightforward process. A chicken, some seasonings, and sometimes are all needed to prepare this meal. Use these methods, and you’ll always have succulent, tender chicken.
Preparing the Grill for Smoking
Get your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (I use my Camp Chef SmokePro). Smoking the chicken over oak or fruit wood like cherry or apple improves the flavor in subtle and robust ways.
Instructions To Start Cooking The Chicken.
- If you’d rather brine your chicken after it’s soaked, wash it, pat it dry, and then coat it in olive oil. Season with homemade chicken seasoning, or save time and buy a bottle from my store, Patio Provisions, where I stock all the spices you could possibly need.
- In a single layer on the grill grate, place the chicken pieces. In a smoker, cook the chicken for an hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit
- Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the smoker and let it rest under foil. Serve by slicing into individual pieces.
- The chicken has a savory flavor in its natural state, and the chicken seasoning makes it even more flavorful and juicy. Spread it with my homemade barbecue sauce, like my Teriyaki BBQ Sauce or my Kansas City BBQ Sauce, and it becomes even more delicious
How Long Should I Smoke a Chicken Breast?
The time required to smoke a chicken breast is roughly an hour. When smoking chicken, the temperature is far more important than the length of time. Invest in a good instant-read meat thermometer so you can keep track of the internal temperature of your meat as it smokes. My experience has taught me that not having a good thermometer is a common cause of chicken breasts that are either overcooked or undercooked.
Check on the chicken frequently while it smokes. Take the chicken out when the thermometer registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part and tent it with foil to finish cooking to 165 degrees. Depending on the chicken, the smoker, and the heat level, the entire process could take 50 to 90 minutes.
Recipe for Smoked Chicken Breasts Without Bones
Ingredients
- You’ll need 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 to 4 teaspoons of your favorite chicken rub, such as Hey Grill Hey Chicken Rub or Lemon Herb Chicken Seasoning
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | McCormick Culinary Lemon ‘N Herb Seasoning, 24 oz – One 24 Ounce Container of Lemon Herb Seasoning… | $15.39 | Buy on Amazon |
- Olive oil, to taste, 2 tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and load it with your hardwood. I use oak and a fruitwood like cherry or apple to achieve a bold flavor
- Season. The chicken breasts should be brushed and drizzled with olive oil. Apply Chicken Rub liberally to both sides of each chicken breast. You can find a link to my Lemon Herb Chicken Seasoning in the notes if you don’t already have any Chicken Rub on hand
- Smoke. Apply high grill temperatures while directly smoking the chicken breasts for about an hour. The internal temperature of the meat should be kept at 160 degrees Fahrenheit at all times
- Rest. The chicken has been smoked and is now being removed. In order to achieve a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, cover with foil and allow residual heat to do its work
- Dig in. When the internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is safe to be sliced, served, and devoured
A Recipe for the Finest Smoked Boneless Chicken that Requires No Brine
Using a Traeger to smoke chicken breasts is a simple process. Birds in particular absorb the smoky flavor very well, making smoked chicken sandwiches and salads great ways to use up any leftovers. As a result, this dish is always well-received whenever guests dine at my house.
The magic of this chicken breast smoking recipe lies in…
- In other words, it’s juicy.
- Instructions for a Quick and Easy Smoke-Out
- Spice up this simple seasoning with whatever you have on hand.
- INSTEAD OF USING BRINE, TAKE THE NO-BRINE APPROACH
- This is NOT MARINADE!
- Using the leftovers to make smoked chicken breast sandwiches is a life-changing experience.
Components
- chicken breasts
- An olive oil
- Greasy seasoning for grilled chicken or pig
Notes
Almost any seasonings would be great on smoked chicken, so there’s no need to overthink it.
Processing
- Your Traeger Grill, Pitt Boss, or another pellet grill should be preheated to 225 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal cooking results
- Chicken breasts should be prepped and ready for smoking. First, use a paper towel to soak up any remaining chicken juice. Olive oil, followed by a favorite chicken rub or BBQ seasoning, should be used on the chicken breasts. Coat the chicken breasts in the dry rub, so it sticks to them
- Two to three hours in a smoker set to 225 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for smoking chicken breasts of varying thicknesses. You shouldn’t flip it around
- Throw out the smoked chicken breasts. Chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F
- Rest. Waiting at least ten minutes before slicing is recommended when working with smoked chicken breasts
Add smoked chicken slices to a salad or sandwich for a tasty extra touch
Recipe
Ingredients
- The equivalent of four breasts of chicken.
- Add 2 tbsp. Of olive oil
- Seasoning for chicken or pork, 2 tablespoons of dry rub
Instructions
- Your Traeger Grill, Pitt Boss, or another pellet grill should be preheated to 225 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal cooking results
- Chicken breasts should be prepped and ready for smoking. First, use a paper towel to soak up any remaining chicken juice. Olive oil, followed by a favorite chicken rub or BBQ seasoning, should be used on the chicken breasts. Coat the chicken breasts in the dry rub so it sticks to them
- Two to three hours in a smoker set to 225 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for smoking chicken breasts of varying thicknesses. You shouldn’t flip it around
- Throw out the smoked chicken breasts. Chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F
- Rest. The recommended resting time for smoked chicken breasts is 10 minutes
- You can add smoked chicken slices to a salad or sandwich for a tasty extra touch
FAQ
When an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the boneless chicken breast registers 165 degrees F, the chicken is done smoking.
Chicken breasts without bones will taste great smoked at 225 degrees.
The amount of time needed to smoke a chicken breast depends on how thick it is. Chicken breasts that are incredibly thin can be cooked in less than an hour. The cooking time for thick chicken breasts was 1.5-3 hours. The internal temperature of the chicken breasts should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you take them out of the smoker, no matter what.
Conclusion
The resulting boneless smoked chicken breasts are perfect for any number of occasions because they are flavorful, tender, and can be prepared quickly. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal and can easily feed a large crowd at a backyard barbecue. If you are just starting out with smoking or are in need of a quick dinner idea, this is the recipe for you. Experiment with alternative brines, seasonings, and rubs the next time you cook meat. Therefore, it is a tried-and-true method that is frequently used.