Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

Smoked Spatchcock Chicken is the best way to cook a whole chicken. We fired up our Traeger Smoker for this spatchcock chicken to smoke and the meat is smoky, tender, and juicy.

Introducing smoked spatch chicken! You won’t find a better smoked chicken recipe than this. Cooked evenly because it is laid flat, this tender and juicy chicken will be a win for any level of smoker experience. Not only is it delicious, but it is also full of flavor that can’t be beaten. With a pair of kitchen shears and our cooking instructions, it’s a great alternative to traditional roasting methods.

Ingredients for Spatchcock Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• Olive Oil
• Dry Rub – Use any dry rub you prefer. These are our 2 favorites: Nick’s Special Seasoning or Kosmo’s Q – Dirty Bird.

What Pellet is Best for Smoking Spatchcock Chicken

All these types of pellets work great for Smoked Spatch Chicken.

• Apple
• Signature Blend
• Cherry
• Oak

How to Make Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

Experience the juicy, flavorful of our Traeger-smoked Spatchcock Chicken! To make this classic dish, the backbone is removed and the breastbone of the chicken is broken, letting it lay flat on the grill for faster and more even cooking.

First, use sharp kitchen shears to remove the spine of the chicken. Start at the bottom of the chicken. Start on the left side of the spine and cut all the way up to the neck. Next, starting at the bottom and to the right of the spine cut all the way up to the neck. Discard the spine. Turn the chicken over and press down on the center until you hear the breastplate break.

Next, pat dry your chicken. This is important to get the skin as crispy as possible.

Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat. Put seasoning in your hand and slide your hand underneath the skin and rub the seasoning into the meat. Slide the pats of butter between the skin and the meat.

Rub the entire outside of the chicken with olive oil. Season generously with your rub.

Set the Smoker to 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Then set it to 375 until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

There is no need to brine your chicken before smoking.

We used our Traeger Ironwood for 885 this Spatchcock Chicken recipe.

How Long to Smoke

Always cook to a temperature, not time. A spatchcock chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F We use the Meater Thermometer.

We eat this for dinner with sides or we shred it and put it in buffalo chicken dip and chicken salad.

Storing Leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. We recommend shredding any leftovers for easy storage and for freezing.