What’s for dinner? How about this delicious smoked chicken!
Coated in a homemade spice rub, then slow-smoked to tender juicy perfection. It’s full of flavour and couldn’t be any easier to make.
Smoked chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole (1.2–1.6 kg) chicken 1⁄4 cup chicken spice rub
- 1⁄2 lemon
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1⁄4 cup honey
- 1⁄2 cup apple juice or water For the spice rub
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns 4 rosemary sprigs
- 1⁄4 cup coarse salt
- 3 tbsp table salt
- 1⁄4 cup sugar
- For smoking
- 4 cups woodchips
- 4 rosemary sprigs
Instructions
For the spice rub, add ingredients to a blender and pulse to combine. Spread the spice rub all over the chicken and leave to cure for 45 minutes.
Soak the woodchips and rosemary sprigs in 2 cups water for 30 minutes, then drain. Light the braai and once hot, scatter 11⁄2 cups woodchips over the coals.
Rinse the chicken and stuff the cavity with lemon and rosemary. Mix garlic, honey and apple juice or water, and use it to ‘baste’ the chicken.
Once the woodchips are smoking, place the chicken on the grid, breast side up. Cover with the lid. Leave it to smoke, adding extra cups of woodchips, for 11⁄2–3 hours, depending on the heat and size of the chicken. Poke the breast with a skewer: If the liquid runs clear, the chicken is cooked; if it has a pink hue, return it to the smoker for a further 30 minutes.
Made this smoke chicken recipe? Tag us @foodandhomesa #CookingWithFH on Instagram!
ALSO SEE: Lemon and rosemary roast chicken with chorizo stuffing
