Smoked Whole Chicken

By Jace Green
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Low and slow, simple and bold. A whole chicken smoked over pecan wood on the Classic Joe comes out with juicy meat, crispy skin, and a deep smoky bark that rivals any BBQ joint. Meat Church Holy Gospel rub and butter under the skin create savory, peppery flavor with just enough sweetness to balance the smoke.

Why This Recipe Works

Whole chicken is one of the best ways to learn smoking on a Kamado Joe. It's forgiving, cooks relatively fast compared to brisket or pork shoulder, and the results are impressive. The Classic Joe's steady heat and tight seal keep the chicken moist while pecan wood adds a rich, slightly sweet, nutty smoke that complements poultry perfectly.

Butter under the skin is the secret weapon. It bastes the meat from the inside as it melts, keeping the breast and thighs juicy while helping the skin crisp up. The Holy Gospel rub brings savory, peppery, slightly sweet flavor that forms a beautiful bark without overpowering the chicken.

Halving the chicken (spatchcocking or splitting it down the middle) exposes more surface area to smoke and heat, cutting cook time and ensuring even doneness. No more overcooked breast while you wait for thighs to come up to temp.

Why the Classic Joe is Perfect for This

The Classic Joe's 18-inch cooking surface is the ideal size for a whole chicken—room to spread it out flat without crowding, but not so big that you're wasting charcoal heating empty space.

Heat retention is key for a 3-4 hour cook. The Classic Joe's ceramic construction holds 225-250°F rock-steady on a single load of lump charcoal. Gas grills struggle to maintain low temps this consistently, and offset smokers require constant fuel additions. The Classic Joe? Set the vents once and walk away.

By Jace Green

Smoked Whole Chicken

Serves: 4 people
Cook Time: 3 - 4 hours
Skill:
Beginner:
Method:
Smoked
Food:
Poultry
Smoked Whole Chicken

Ingredients

  • Main

Instructions

  1. 01

    Set up your Classic Joe for indirect heat at 225-250°F using the Divide & Conquer® system with heat deflectors in place.

  2. 02

    Add 1-2 pecan wood chunks to the hottest part of your charcoal. Pecan gives rich, nutty smoke that's perfect for poultry—not too heavy, not too light.

  3. 03

    Let the grill stabilize at 225-250°F for 10-15 minutes before adding the chicken.

  4. 04

    Remove the chicken from packaging and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Dry skin = crispy skin. Moisture is the enemy here.

  5. 05

    Halve the chicken: Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears or a knife, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it (save it for stock). Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. You can leave it whole and flattened (spatchcocked) or cut it completely in half down the center of the breastbone.

  6. 06

    Carefully slide your fingers under the skin of the breasts and thighs to separate the skin from the meat. Be gentle—you don't want to tear the skin. Insert butter pads: Thighs: 1 pad (about 1½ tsp) of softened butter per thigh Breasts: 2 pads (about 1 tbsp) of softened butter per breast Gently massage the skin to distribute the butter evenly under the skin. This keeps the meat moist and helps the skin crisp.

  7. 07

    Apply a generous coating of your favorite all-purpose BBQ rub to all sides of the chicken—top, bottom, and in all the crevices. Don't be shy with the seasoning. Chicken can handle a heavy rub application, and you'll lose some during the cook as fat renders.

  8. 08

    Place the chicken skin-side up on the grill grates in the indirect zone (over the heat deflectors) at 225-250°F. Close the dome and let it smoke undisturbed for the first hour. Resist the urge to open the dome. Every time you open it, you lose heat and smoke.

  9. 09

    After 1 hour: Open the dome and give the chicken a half-turn (rotate 180 degrees) to ensure even cooking. This accounts for any minor hot spots in the grill.

  10. 10

    Check every 25-30 minutes to monitor color and ensure no burning or charring. The chicken should be developing a deep golden-brown color with visible bark forming from the rub.

  11. 11

    Total cook time: 2.5-3.5 hours depending on the size of your chicken and how steady your temps hold.

  12. 12

    Chicken is done when it reaches these internal temperatures: Breast meat: 165°F (safe to go slightly higher, up to 170°F) Thigh meat: 175-180°F (dark meat benefits from higher temps to break down connective tissue)

  13. 13

    Remove the chicken from the grill and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil (don't wrap tightly—this steams the skin and makes it soggy). Rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Cut into it immediately and juices run all over the board. Rest it first and they stay in the meat.

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