Smoking chicken breast is a delicious way to infuse your poultry with deep, smoky flavors while keeping it tender and juicy. However, nailing the right timing is essential for perfect results. Undercooking can lead to unsafe consumption while overcooking produces dry, rubbery meat. So how long does it take to smoke chicken breast?
The timing depends on a few key factors:
- Smoker temperature
- Thickness and size of the chicken breasts
- Whether bone-in or boneless
- Desired level of doneness
Follow this complete guide to learn exactly how long to smoke chicken breasts based on the various factors and techniques. We’ll also cover tips and tricks from pitmasters for moist, tender meat every time.
Smoking Chicken Breast at 225°F
For most smokers operating at 225°F boneless skinless chicken breasts take
- 1 to 1.5 hours for 5-6 oz breasts
- 1.5 to 2 hours for 8-12 oz breasts
At the low smoking temperature of 225°F, the chicken has more time to absorb the smoke flavor. The extended timeframe allows the collagen in the meat to break down slowly, resulting in a tender, juicy texture.
For bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, add about 30 minutes to the time. The skin and bones help protect the delicate breast meat from drying out.
Always rely on an instant-read thermometer rather than time, Cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F Then allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving,
Smoking Chicken Breasts at 250°F
At a higher temperature of 250°F, chicken breasts smoke more rapidly:
- 45 to 60 minutes for 5-6 oz boneless breasts
- 60 to 90 minutes for 8-12 oz boneless breasts
The quicker cooking time at 250°F leads to a moderately tender and moist breast. While you sacrifice some smokiness, the chicken still absorbs flavorful smoke.
For bone-in, skin-on breasts, plan for about 15-20 minutes of extra time. Rely on your thermometer and cook until 165°F.
Should You Brine Chicken Breasts Before Smoking?
Brining is highly recommended when smoking lean chicken breasts. The salt and sugar in a brine mixture help chicken retain moisture, enhancing juiciness and tenderness.
- Make a simple brine by mixing 1 cup salt and 1 cup sugar with 1 gallon of water.
- Soak the chicken for 1-2 hours prior to smoking.
- Rinse the chicken and pat it dry before applying any rubs.
Brining ensures succulent results, especially for lower-fat boneless, skinless breasts.
Tips for Perfectly Smoked Chicken Breast
Follow these pro tips for flawlessly smoked chicken breast every time:
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Trim excess fat: Any excess fat or skin can cause flair ups during smoking.
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Pat the chicken dry: Remove excess moisture so seasonings properly adhere.
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Butterfly or pound thicker breasts: Create an even thickness to prevent underdone meat.
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Apply a binder: Use oil, mustard, ormayo to help the rub stick.
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Use a water pan: The water pan provides humidity to prevent drying out.
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Rotate periodically: Ensure even exposure to smoke and heat.
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Spritz with juice or broth: Apple juice, chicken broth, or other liquids help retain moisture.
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Wrap at 160°F: Wrapping at 160°F allows carryover cooking without overdrying.
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Check multiple areas: Test the thickest part as well as other areas for doneness.
Step-By-Step Guide for Smoking Chicken Breasts
Follow these simple steps for foolproof smoked chicken breast:
1. Trim and Butterfly the Chicken
- Trim off any excess fat or skin.
- For thicker breasts, butterfly by slicing horizontally almost all the way through then opening up.
2. Brine the Chicken (Recommended)
- See brining tips above. 1-2 hours is ideal.
- Rinse chicken and pat very dry after brining.
3. Apply Seasonings
- Use oil, mustard, or mayo as a binder.
- Sprinkle on your favorite rub or seasoning.
4. Prepare the Smoker
- Set up your smoker for indirect heat if needed.
- Preheat to 225-250°F using preferred wood chunks.
- Add a water pan for moisture.
5. Smoke the Chicken
- Place chicken directly on grill grates.
- Smoke until internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 1-2 hours.
- Flip and rotate periodically; spritz to keep moist.
6. Rest, Slice, and Serve
- When 160°F, wrap in foil and rest until 165°F.
- Slice into juicy smoked chicken breast and enjoy!
Common Problems and Solutions
Smoking lean chicken breast does come with some pitfalls. Follow these troubleshooting tips:
Problem: Chicken breast is dry and stringy.
Solution: Don’t overcook. Use a probe thermometer and stop at 165°F. Brining also prevents dry meat.
Problem: Skin is rubbery.
Solution: Smoke at 275°F+ to render the fat and crisp the skin.
Problem: Chicken breast has bitter or sooty flavor.
Solution: Avoid dense smoke. Use well-seasoned wood and thin blue smoke.
Problem: Chicken breast has white albumin spots.
Solution: Soak chicken in a brine longer to prevent albumin from leaking out.
Problem: Chicken breast has pink or undercooked areas.
Solution: Always check the thickest part of the meat. Cook to 165°F.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long per pound to smoke chicken breast?
For boneless breasts, plan for about 1 hour 15 minutes per pound at 225°F, or 1 hour per pound at 250°F. Bone-in breasts take about 15-20 minutes longer.
Can you smoke chicken breast at 300°F?
Yes, 300°F can work but aim for quick smoking sessions of 30-60 minutes maximum to prevent drying out. Stay vigilant and pull immediately at 165°F.
Should you brine chicken before smoking?
Brining is highly recommended, especially for lean boneless chicken breasts. The salt/sugar solution helps retain moisture. 1-2 hours of brining time is ideal.
Is smoked chicken safe at 160°F?
Chicken should always reach 165°F internally for food safety. At 160°F, harmful bacteria can still exist. Allow carryover cooking to 165°F before eating.
How do you keep chicken moist when smoking?
Brining, using a water pan, spritzing, wrapping at 160°F, and avoiding overcooking are the best ways to keep smoked chicken breast juicy.
Smoked Chicken Breast Recipes
Serve up delicious smoked chicken breast with these flavorful recipe ideas:
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BBQ Chicken Sandwiches – Shredded smoked chicken tossed in barbecue sauce makes easy sandwich filling.
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Smoked Chicken Salad – Dice or shred smoked chicken breast and mix into a chicken salad with mayo, celery, onion, and herbs.
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Chicken Parmesan – Top smoked chicken breast with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.
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Fajitas – Slice into strips and serve in tortillas with sautéed peppers and onions.
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Chicken Caesar Wrap – Fill a tortilla with sliced chicken breast, romaine, Parmesan, and Caesar dressing.
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Chicken Tacos – Shred smoked chicken and pile onto corn tortillas with all the fixings.
So for perfectly juicy smoked chicken breast, follow these guidelines on temperature, time, brining, resting, and more. With the right techniques, you’ll have tender, flavorful smoked chicken every time.
Smoker temps for smoked chicken
If the secret to juicy chicken is temperature-based, and the secret to non-flabby skin is also temperature based, then we should talk about some temperatures, shouldn’t we? First, we need smoke to get into our chicken, so we need to cook at a smoking temperature. Cook your chicken at 225–250°F (107–121°C) for an hour to imbue the meat with smoky goodness.
The slow smoking not only gives us flavor, but it also cooks the meat quite gently for that first hour. Once that’s done, though, it’s time to crank up the heat. Using Billows™ BBQ Control Fan to control your temperatures really comes in handy here, because you can simply change your fan-control temperature and get up to your new temp easily and without lots of fussing with vents, etc. You’re aiming for 350–375°F (177–191°C). At those high temps, your chicken skin stands a chance of crisping, and that’s what we want!
Smoked chicken difficulties and solutions
Smoked chicken is manifestly tasty. I mean, it’s chicken, so it has that going for it already, but then you add the delicious flavor of smoke and you end up with something even better than before. But not all smoked chickens live up to their potential.
A chicken that is left in the smoker to cook until “the legs wobble” or “the juices run clear” will almost certainly be dry. And we all know that smoked chicken skin is not the greatest culinary delight known to man. It can be rubbery and flabby, not words that describe how I want my food to feel.
Luckily, there are solutions to both problems, and temperature is a big part of those solutions.
For juicy meat that isn’t dried out, we need need to actually monitor the temperature as we cook. Using a leave-in probe thermometer like Smoke X2™ allows you to see the internal temperature of your bird as it changes, and the alarms let you know when it’s time to act to prevent the meat from drying out. Of course, you still need to verify that temperature with an instant-read thermometer—Thermapen® ONE being the best bet. (I rarely hit the thermal center correctly with my probe, and I cook a lot of birds.)
The rubbery skin has a two-part solution. First, dry-brining helps a lot. Seasoning your chicken 4–12 hours before you cook it and allowing the seasoning to pull water out of the skin will help the skin cook more crisply. The other prong is a two-stage cook. Cooking the meat gently to impart smoke flavor and then turning up the heat to render and crisp the skin is the way to go.