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smoked lemon herb chicken recipe

Smoked Lemon Herb Chicken

This smoked lemon herb chicken is full of flavor! It’s the perfect symphony of herbs, delicately infused with the gentle kiss of lemon.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 634 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 4-5 pound Whole Chicken
  • 2 whole Fresh Lemons
  • 4 tbsp Herbed Butter I like to make my own herbed butter by combining 4tbsp of butter (room temp), 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, and 2tbsp parsley.
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  • 2 tbsp Dried Herbs
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Zest
  • 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel.
  • Gently lift the skin from around the neck opening and above the chicken breast and slide a teaspoon of herbed garlic butter under the skin above each chicken breast.
  • Mix the herbs, garlic, pepper, salt, and half lemon zest together to create your lemon herb rub. Alternatively you can use a store brought lemon herb dry rub.
  • Season the chicken generously with the seasoning. Be sure to rub the seasoning into all the grooves and spaces between the wings and legs of the chicken. Sprinkle the remainder of the lemon zest over the top of the chicken rub evenly across the chicken.
  • Cut the lemons into quarters and/or eighths. Start with the lemon that you have already zested. Use the lemon quarters to stuff the cavity of the chicken.
    Once the quarters are in there push in some of the eighths of lemon to ensure that it is a nice tight fit.
    Place two rosemary sprigs, cut to the size of the chicken.
    Wrap the chicken either in a container, foil tin or cling wrap and allow it to rest.
  • When ready to cook preheat the smoker to 200°F with super smoke on.
  • Place the chicken directly on the grill. Insert the smoker/BBQ thermometer probe into the breast of the chicken, trying to position the probe in the thickest section of breast. Ensure the other end of your smoker/BBQ thermometer is connected to your Traeger (or thermometer and turned on).
  • Smoke your chicken for 60mins/1 hour.
  • After the 1 hour, increase the Traeger temperature to 350°F. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
  • Once the internal temperature reaches 140°F, increase your Traeger temperature to 450°F until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
  • Once cooked remove the chicken from the grill and wrap in foil for an hour.
  • Once cooled you can remove the lemon quarters from the cavity and carve the chicken.

Notes

I like to season the chicken the night before a cook, but even an hour with provide enough time for the seasoning to take hold.
If you are using a chicken throne instead of stuffing the chicken with lemon pieces, rest the chicken without the chicken throne in place. Add the throne right before you add it to the smoker.
Before pre-heating the Traeger ensure that the grill plate is on the lowest level and middle shelf is removed, this will provide the most space possible for the whole chicken to sit.
Increasing the temperature for the last ~20 minutes will give the skin that lovely color and crispy texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServeCalories: 634kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 94gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 366mgSodium: 279mg
Keyword Smoked Chicken, Traeger Chicken Recipes
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