This Smoked Chicken Breast is juicy and perfectly seasoned. Brined and sprinkled with delicious spices, you’ll love the way this smoked chicken tastes in all your favorite dishes.
Looking for other flavorful chicken ideas? You should try our air fryer chicken breast and baked breaded chicken.
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Juicy Smoked Chicken Breast
Smoky, juicy, and full of flavor, this Smoked Chicken Breast is so good. The chicken is soaked in a brine to give it lots of moisture and infuse it with flavor, then seasoned generously. Smoked over applewood pellets, it’s so delicious. This smoked chicken breast can be eaten on sandwiches, in salads, added to pasta… anything! It’s wonderfully versatile and goes well with so many flavors, making it a great addition to any dish.
What you’ll need
- For the Brine- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, Lukewarm water, Salt, and Brown sugar
- For the Spice Rub- Brown sugar, Chili powder, Smoked paprika, Onion powder, Garlic powder, Oregano, and Salt
- Applewood pellets– for the smoker (not pictured)
How to Make Smoked Chicken Breast
- Make the brine. First, add the lukewarm water to a large bowl with the salt and brown sugar. Whisk everything together until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Brine the chicken. Add the chicken breasts, making sure they are fully submerged in the brine. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, and no more than 6 hours.
- Make the spice rub. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper, then whisk it together.
- Season the chicken breasts. When it’s done brining, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and then season both sides of it with the spice rub.
- Cook the chicken in the smoker. Add the applewood pellets to the smoker and preheat it to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken directly on top of the grill grates and smoke for about 2 1/2-3 hours, or until the thickest part of the chicken is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit according to an instant-read thermometer.
Tips for the best smoked chicken breast
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning- Don’t miss this step because it helps the seasonings adhere to the chicken and also keeps the meat from steaming as the water evaporates during cooking.
- Try different smoker pellets– You can vary the flavor of your smoked chicken breasts by trying different pellets, such as apple or cherry.
- Change up the seasoning mix- Another way to enjoy this smoked chicken is by tweaking the spice rub to your preference. Make it spicier or more garlicky, depending on what you like.
- Temperature check the meat– To ensure everything is fully cooked, use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. It should read above 165 degrees Fahrenheit to be safe to eat.
How to Store and Reheat
You can store this Smoked Chicken Breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you are ready to serve it, reheat it in the oven or smoker until warmed through. You can also microwave it for a minute or so, if you prefer.
How to serve these smoked chicken breasts
- With pasta- Adding sliced smoked chicken breast to your favorite pasta is a delicious idea. Try it on this Spaghetti with Zucchini and Garlic or this Easy Pasta Primavera
- On a salad- Chicken goes great with salads, so top your usual salad with this flavorful addition. It would be great on this Spinach Pomegranate Salad.
- With grains- Serve this smoked chicken breast on top of your favorite grains, like Wild Brown Rice, quinoa, or others. Add some Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli to round out the meal.
- On a sandwich- Chicken sandwiches are so good, but with this smoked chicken, they’ll be even better. Sub chicken for turkey in this Turkey Croissant Sandwich for a great lunch.
- With a tasty sauce- My favorites are my Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce Recipe and Homemade Barbecue Sauce (4 ingredients)!
More Scrumptious Smoker Recipes to try!
Full Recipe Instructions
Smoked Chicken Breast
This Smoked Chicken Breast is delicious and so easy. Smoky, juicy, and well-seasoned, you can enjoy it with all your favorite dishes and sauces.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 377kcal
Ingredients
Brine
- 6 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 8 cups lukewarm water
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Spice Rub
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- applewood pellets
Instructions
- Start off by making the brine. In a large bowl, add in 8 cups of lukewarm water. Then mix in 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Use a whisk to mix everything together until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Then add in 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Make sure they are fully submerged under the brine. Now place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, and no more than 6 hours.
- In the meantime, make the spice rub by combining 4 tablespoons brown sugar,
2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Once the chicken is done brining, remove it from the brine and pat it dry using paper towels. Then season both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.
- Now add some applewood pellets to the smoker and preheat it to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and place the chicken directly on top of the grill grates. Smoke the chicken for about 2 1/2-3 hours or until the thickest piece of chicken reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant-read thermometer for this step. Tip: you can use apple, cherry, or applewood pellets for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 10134mg | Potassium: 983mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1444IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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