Smoked Pulled Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken (5-6 lbs each) or 8 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and breasts
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Apple juice in spray bottle
• 2 cups BBQ sauce (your choice)

Steps

1. Set up your smoker for 275°F with a water pan in place. Use mild wood like apple or cherry—avoid overpowering the chicken.
2. Pat chicken dry. Mix salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and cayenne in a bowl. Rub all over the chicken, inside cavities if using whole birds.
3. Place chicken skin-side up on the grates, bone-side down. Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.
4. Smoke until the chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh, about 4.5 to 5 hours. Spray with apple juice every hour starting at the 2-hour mark.
5. Once the chicken hits 165°F, pull it from the smoker. Let rest for 10 minutes loosely tented with foil.
6. Shred all the meat off the bones using two forks—it should pull apart easily. Discard skin if you prefer leaner pulled chicken, or leave it in for extra flavor and richness.
7. Toss the pulled chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce, or serve sauce on the side. The meat is already flavorful from the smoke and seasoning.
8. Serve on buns, over rice, in tacos, or over baked potatoes. Pulled smoked chicken keeps refrigerated for 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.