Pellet Grill Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
Learn how to make juicy, flavorful smoked spatchcock chicken with this easy step-by-step recipe. Perfect for pellet grills, with tips on brining, seasoning, and smoking to perfection.
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I used to be the chief bird roaster in my house. That is, until The Husband smoked a spatchcock chicken on his Traeger pellet grill for the first time. I’m pretty sure I groaned with pleasure the moment a tender, juicy morsel passed my lips and just about melted in my mouth. Since then, I’ve gladly handed the title of “chief bird roaster” over to him. I don’t want to eat chicken any other way.
What does it mean to spatchcock a chicken?
The term is believed to be a shortened version of “dispatch the cock,” an old Irish phrase that referred to preparing a bird quickly for cooking. Despite the odd-sounding name, it’s a straightforward and widely used method in both home and professional kitchens.
The term means to remove the backbone so the bird can be opened up and laid flat. It’s also known as butterflying a chicken. The advantage of this technique helps the chicken cook faster and more evenly, especially on a grill or in a smoker, and allows for crispier skin.
Ingredients and tools you will need
This basic recipe is all about bold flavor, juicy meat, and crispy skin — and it’s easier than it sounds. To make my pellet smoked spatchcock chicken recipe, you will need:
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 5-pound whole chicken
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose seasoning – check out my homemade all-purpose seasoning. Or, for a Cajun kick, try my blackened seasoning recipe.
- Large cooler or container – we’re going to brine our chicken first. You’ll need a container large enough to completely submerge the chicken in water. You could even use a large stock pot.
- Sharp knife or pair of kitchen shears – for safety’s sake, we use kitchen shears to remove the backbone from the bird. We like these OXO kitchen shears because they cut right through both sides of the backbone with no problem.
- Sheet pan with sides fitted with a rack, optional – if we do this right, the chicken is going to be falling off the bone by the time it’s done. A pan makes it easier to take the bird off the grill. The rack lifts the chicken up to improve air flow around the bird.
- Pellet grill – We have a Traeger Ironwood 650.
- Pellets of your choice – some pellets are more suited to complement the flavor of chicken than others. Fruitwoods or mild nut woods such as apple, cherry, pecan, maple, or pellet blends are the best wood for chicken. Stay away from bold stuff like mesquite or heavy hickory, which can overpower a chicken’s mild flavor.
- Meat thermometer
- Time – this is not a recipe you can rush. For best results, plan on prepping at least the day before you plan to serve. Don’t worry, you won’t be fussing with a bird that entire time.
Make the brine
White meat, which includes the back, tenderloin, wings, and breast meat, have less fat and connective tissue than dark meat. That’s why white meat tends to have a bland flavor and dry texture. Anytime I’m cooking white meat, whether it’s chicken or turkey, I always soak the meat in saltwater, or a brine, first. Brining helps chicken retain moisture and adds flavor during cooking. The salt in the brine draws water into the muscle fibers through osmosis. When the bird cooks, it holds onto that extra moisture, resulting in juicier, more tender meat — even the usually dry breast stays flavorful.
Find a large container or cooler that you can completely submerge your chicken. Pour in the cold water and stir in the kosher salt until fully dissolved (I explain why kosher salt is recommended over other types of salt in my post on the Basics of Brining). If your container is extra large, you will need to scale the salt and water to cover the chicken but still keep that 1:16 salt-to-water ratio.
Make sure you’ve removed the giblets from the chicken (don’t skip this part), and then gently lower the whole bird into the brine. Let it soak for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. To prevent food borne pathogens, you will need to keep the chicken cold — either pop it in the fridge or add a generous amount of ice to the container.
How to spatchcock a chicken
Once the bird is done brining, it’s time to get hands-on. Using a large cutting board and either a sharp knife or a good pair of kitchen scissors, remove the spine of the chicken. You can do this by cutting along one side of the backbone, then cutting along the other side. Flip the chicken over and press down hard on the breastbone to flatten it. This “spatchcocking” technique helps the chicken cook evenly and gives you a better surface for crispy skin.
Tip: Don’t throw the spine away! You can use it to make homemade chicken stock.
Grill the chicken
- Preheat your pellet grill to 165°F. If your pellet smoker has a Supersmoke setting, now’s the time to use it.
- While that’s heating up, prep your bird by patting the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Rub the outside of the bird with two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Season the spatchcocked chicken generously with 1/4 cup of your favorite rub.
- As mentioned earlier, we use a pan fitted with a rack to make taking the bird off the grill easier. Place the chicken, breast-side up, either directly on the grill grate or on your pan. Let it smoke low and slow for about 2 hours.
- Crank the heat up to 350°F and continue to smoke until the internal temperature of the chicken hits 160°F on an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. For a typical 5-pound bird, the cooking time was about another hour — but always trust your meat thermometer over the clock.
- For extra crispy chicken skin, you’ve got two options. First, remove the chicken from the grill, increase your grill temp to 450°F, then return it for another 10 minutes. But to save a little time, you could also have an oven already preheated to 450°F and roast for the final crisp.
- Once your chicken has reached a safe 165°F internal temp on an instant read thermometer and the skin is a delicious golden brown, pull it off the heat and let the chicken rest for 15-20 minutes. This helps redistribute the juices and keeps every bite tender.
- Carve the chicken and serve.
Storage, freezing and reheating instructions
Storage. Let the chicken cool to room temperature (no longer than 2 hours after cooking), then place it in an airtight container, plastic freezer bag or wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Smoked chicken will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days if properly stored.
Freezing. Remove the meat from the bone (optional, but space-saving). Transfer the meat to an airtight container or freezer bag. If using a bag, try to remove as much air from the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn. Smoked chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken meat overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating. Reheating the chicken in the oven is the best method for preserving moisture. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the chicken in a baking dish and add a splash of chicken broth or water. Cover tightly with foil or a lid. Reheat for 20–25 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165°F. If you are in a hurry, you can also reheat it in the microwave by placing the meat on a microwave-safe plate. Cover it with a damp paper towel and heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
Frequently asked questions
Leaving the giblets inside can cause sanitation issues, uneven cooking, or even a plastic bag melting inside the cavity. Remove them first and use them for stock or gravy, if desired.
No. Always discard the used brine. It’s been in contact with raw poultry and is not safe to reuse or boil down.
It’s not required, but some people give it a quick rinse to remove excess surface salt. If you do rinse, pat the chicken dry very thoroughly before seasoning and smoking.
We frequently smoke two chickens just so we can have leftovers. Here are some good dinner options for leftover chicken meat: Poblano Chicken Chowder with Wild Rice, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel, Cheesy Crescent Chicken, Cheddar, Black Bean and Chicken Quiche, and Southern Cornbread Dressing with Chicken.
Serve pellet smoked spatchcock chicken with
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If you made this smoked spatchcock chicken, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Your ratings and reviews help others find the recipe and give me great feedback too. ⭐️
Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 (5 pound) whole chicken
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose seasoning
Instructions
- Find a container or cooler large enough to completely submerge the chicken.
- Pour in the water, then add the salt. Depending on the size of your container, you may need to add more salt and water.
- Stir until the salt is dissolved.
- Remove the giblets from inside the chicken. Submerge the chicken in the salt water and let it soak for at least eight hours but no more than 24 hours. The chicken needs to be kept cool while it soaks, so if your container won’t fit in your fridge, add some ice to the water to keep it cold.
- Preheat the pellet grill to 165 degrees F and turn on Supersmoke.
- Remove the chicken from the salt water and discard the brine.
- Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears or a knife, carefully cut up one side of the backbone and then the other.
- Once the backbone has been removed, spread the chicken out flat and press down on the breast bone to further flatten the chicken out.
- Coat the outside of the chicken with the olive oil, then season with the all-purpose seasoning.
- Smoke the chicken for about two hours, then increase the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to smoke until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees F. This took about one additional hour. However, cook times could vary depending on the size of your bird and the ambient temperature outside.
- For a crisper skin, remove the chicken from the grill. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees, then return the chicken to the grill and roast for an additional 10 minutes. You can also do this in a preheated 450 degree oven.
- Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before serving.
This is hands down my go-to recipe for weekend grilling. It’s easy, flavorful, and better than any rotisserie chicken I’ve ever bought. The brine makes a huge difference in keeping the meat tender, and the all-purpose seasoning gives it a great kick without overpowering the chicken. Flattening the bird helps to cook it evenly, and the crisp skin at the end is a total crowd-pleaser.