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–+ servings
Brined smoked chicken with BBQ sauce.
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4.43 from 7 votes

Brined Smoked BBQ Chicken

Super tender, juicy with a light smoke flavor. Use your favorite BBQ Sauce to finish these easy chicken pieces.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword bbq, brine, chicken, smoke
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Brining Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6
Calories 414kcal
Author Lisa Lotts

Equipment

  • grill
  • 2 cups wood chips (cherry, hickory or apple are good choices)
  • smoker box
  • bbq mitt/pitt glove
  • bbq tongs
  • spray water bottle

Ingredients

FOR BOURBON BRINE:

  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • ¼ cup bourbon I used Jim Beam
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 12 black peppercorns
  • 3 cups water divided
  • 2 cups ice

FOR SMOKED BBQ CHICKEN

  • 4-5 pounds chicken bone-in, skin-on, cut into pieces - or a package of chicken pieces.
  • 1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

ASSEMBLE THE CHICKEN BRINE:

  • In a large bowl combine ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup kosher salt, 4 juniper berries, 4 whole cloves and 12 black peppercorns.
  • Heat 1½ cups of water to a boil on the stovetop or microwave and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Stir in ¼ cup bourbon and 1½ cups of cold water and 2 cups ice. Stir until the ice has dissolved. Check the brine's temperature to ensure it's cold (it should be colder than the chicken).
  • Add 4-5 pounds chicken to the brine, arranging the pieces so they are covered by the brine. Let rest in the brine for 1 hour.

READY THE SMOKE/GRILL

  • Soak the wood chips in water for 45 minutes to an hour. (see notes below)
  • Transfer the soaked wood chips to a smoker box and place it beneath the grill grates, directly over the gas flame or flavor-bars.
  • Preheat the grill to 500° to start the wood chips smoking (about 10-15 minutes). Once the chips are smoking, add the chicken.
  • Reduce heat on the grill to about 425°-450°.

SMOKE THE CHICKEN:

  • Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Place the chicken, skin side down on the grill opposite the wood chips. Follow the approximate timing guide below.
  • Chicken breasts: 25-30 minutes total cooking time, flipping halfway through cooking. Brush the BBQ sauce over the chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
    Thighs and legs: 20-25 minutes total cooking time, flipping halfway through cooking. Brush the BBQ sauce over the chicken in the last 5-6 minutes of cooking, flipping and coating again after 2½-3 minutes.
    Wings: 15-20 minutes total cooking time, flipping halfway through cooking. Brush the BBQ sauce over the chicken in the last 5-6 minutes of cooking, flipping and coating again after 2½-3 minutes.
  • Pull the chicken off the heat at 160°F, checking the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a sheet pan or serving platter and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes so the juices redistribute evenly and allow for carryover cooking.

Notes

Jury-rigging a wood chip soaker

  1. Add the wood chips to a bowl.
  2. Fill the bowl with water and float a plate (about the same diameter as the bowl) on top of the chips to hold them down in the water.
  3. Soak the wood chips for an hour before using.

Jury-rigging a smoker box:

  1. Create a pouch with heavy-duty tin foil.
  2. Fill the pouch with the soaked wood chips and seal it.
  3. Poke holes all over the foil.
  4. Place it over the heat source on the grill and wait for the chips to smoke.
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Nutrition

Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 5307mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg