Cookbook Club

Smoked Chicken

By: Hannah Lee Leidy
Pitmaster Rodney Scott's smoked chicken pieces
Photography by Jerrelle Guy

recipe heading-plus-icon

yields

Serves 4

    For the Chicken
  • 2 (3-4 pound) whole chickens, spatchcocked and halved through the breastbone
  • 3 tablespoons rib rub (recipe follows)
  • 4 cups Rodney’s Sauce
    • For the Rib Rub
  • Makes 2 cups
  • ½ cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Jesus’s Tears (aka MSG)
  • ¼ cup freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup paprika
  • ¼ cup chili powder
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

steps
  1. Mix all of the Rib Rub ingredients and place them in an airtight container. Cover and store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
  2. Heat a grill to between 225 degrees to 250 degrees.
  3. Sprinkle chicken halves on all sides with rib rub. Place chickens onto grill, bone-side down. Cover and cook until the bone sides are nicely browned, about 1 hour and 30 minutes, being careful to maintain a steady grilling temperature between 225 degrees and 250 degrees.
  4. Mop the skin side with sauce, then flip chickens and mop the bone side with sauce as well. Cover and cook until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour.
  5. Mop the chickens once more. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

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