TRAEGER SMOKED CHICKEN BREASTS

Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

With a burst of flavor and all the right spices, Smoked Chicken Breasts are a simple dinner that becomes the best restaurant-quality meal when seasoned with the BEST Barbecue Sweet Rub!  Smoking the chicken low and slow makes for wonderfully tender and juicy chicken that is so easy and absolutely perfect every time!  Smoked Chicken Breasts are a favorite at our house for dinner on a busy weeknight, a crowd favorite for backyard barbecues, and any leftovers are perfect for sandwiches, salads, charcuterie boards and fajitas.  It’s also the secret to my delectable Smoked Chicken Salad and Barbecue Chicken Nachos!

Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

LOVE YOUR SMOKER?

Do you love the smoky taste and wafting aroma of low-and-slow barbecue? That tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness everyone strives for?   

Our favorite way to cook in the summertime (and actually year around) is on our Traeger wood pellet grill.  Beginners to smoker barbecue usually begin by experimenting with a kettle grill smoker. But once you're ready to take the plunge with your own backyard smoker, that's when the real fun begins! 

Pellet smokers are easy to control, maintain stable temperatures, leave behind less ash than charcoal, and guarantee great wood flavor through a variety of flavored pellets.  We recently upgraded to a Traeger Timberline XL with WiFi and all the bells and whistles that make smoking on it a dream!

Whether you have a Traeger, Camp Chef, Memphis Grill, Masterbuilt, Z Grills, or other wood pellet grill, this recipe will work for you!  For cooking on a gas grill, you can use this recipe by using the temperatures indicated, making sure to cook over indirect heat, but you won't have the smoky flavor and aroma.  You can use this recipe on a charcoal grill as well, but you'll need to make adjustments for consistent cooking temps over an extended period of time, which can be a challenge.  

Cuts of meat and marinades aside, it's the smoke that makes barbecue taste and smell so irresistible!  The secret is maintaining a low, constant temperature, with 225 to 275 degrees the magical zone for smoking.  Beyond fall-off-the-bone ribs and flawless brisket, a smoker is also the perfect place for many barbecue sides as well - you'll be amazed at how wonderful they are!

Our family, friends, and neighbors are always asking for my barbecue recipes, but be warned - you'll get spoiled and never want to go to another barbecue restaurant again!  Welcome to our barbecue wonderland!  

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Replace BEST Barbecue Sweet rub with any of the following spice and seasoning rubs, or your favorite barbecue seasoning - for juicy and flavorful smoked chicken every time!

• Woodfire Garlic
• Smokehouse Maple
• Brown Sugar Bourbon
• Fiesta Seasoning 
• Teriyaki 
• Chipotle Lime
• Chipotle & Roasted Garlic
• Mesquite
• Blackened Spice Seasoning
• Montreal Chicken
• Kinder's Buttery Steakhouse

Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

PERFECT BARBECUE SIDES FOR YOUR SMOKER:

• Traeger Smoked Barbecue Ribs
• Traeger Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes
• Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts
• Traeger Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Traeger Smoked Ham with Whiskey Peach Glaze
• Traeger Smoked Baked Beans
• Traeger Smoked Mac & Cheese
• Traeger Smoked Meatballs with Barbecue Sauce
• Traeger Smoked Pulled Pork
• Traeger Teriyaki Salmon with Asparagus (Sheet Pan Dinner)
• Traeger Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf
• Traeger Smoked Brisket
• Traeger Smoked Funeral Potatoes
• Skillet Cornbread
• Cheesy Barbeque Corn & Bacon Dip
• Barbeque Roasted Potatoes
• Grilled Garlic Bread
• Traeger Smoked Green Bean Casserole

Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

TRAEGER SMOKED CHICKEN BREASTS

With a burst of flavor and all the right spices, Smoked Chicken Breasts are a simple dinner that becomes the best restaurant-quality meal when seasoned with the BEST Barbecue Sweet Rub!  Smoking the chicken low and slow makes for wonderfully tender and juicy chicken that is so easy and absolutely perfect every time!  Smoked Chicken Breasts are a favorite at our house for dinner on a busy weeknight, a crowd favorite for backyard barbecues, and any leftovers are perfect for sandwiches, salads and fajitas.  It’s also the secret to my delectable Smoked Chicken Salad!
​

Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Best Sweet Rub
 
BARBECUE SWEET RUB:
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more for an extra flavor kick)
 
SERVE WITH:
Barbecue Sauce (your favorite flavor!)
 
HOW I MAKE THIS:

1. PREPARE BARBECUE SWEET RUB:  In a small bowl, whisk together all sweet rub ingredients until evenly blended.  You can use a fork or the back of a spoon to break up any large brown sugar chunks.  Store Barbecue Sweet rub in an airtight container for up to a month.

1. PREPARE CHICKEN:  Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and rub to evenly distribute.  Sprinkle with Barbecue Sweet Rub evenly on all sides.  Place on a plate or pan, cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
2. PREPARE SMOKER:  Fire up your pellet grill and preheat smoker to 225 degrees using your favorite hardwood pellets.  A mixture of oak, along with a fruit wood (cherry or apple) are perfect for this chicken recipe. 
3. SMOKE CHICKEN:  Place seasoned chicken directly on smoker grill and smoke for approximately 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.
4. Remove chicken from the smoker and place on a clean plate or pan; immediately cover loosely with foil.  Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches a food-safe 165 degrees.
5. Serve sliced, shredded or whole – and get ready to enjoy the best chicken of your life!!
6. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container or ziplock back; best served within 2 days. 

​YIELD:   4 servings

RECIPE NOTES: 

• Cook times will vary based on the size of chicken breasts that you use. 
• You can use this same recipe and method for chicken thighs, drumsticks, quarters, bone-in or boneless, skin on or skinless.  For bone in or large chicken pieces, allow additional smoking time until 160 degrees internal temperature is reached. 
• This Barbecue Sweet Rub is perfect for chicken, beef and pork – including ribs, chops, pulled pork, caramelized bacon, and brisket – and take smoked hamburgers to a whole new level of deliciousness!
• If you like a little kick to your barbecued meats, increase the cayenne pepper to your favorite level of HOT and spicy!
• Serve with your favorite barbecue sauces on the side – you may find you don’t even need them, as this is the juiciest and most tender chicken ever!  

RECIPE VARIATIONS:
Replace BEST Barbecue Sweet rub with any of the following spice and seasoning rubs: 

• Woodfire Garlic
• Smokehouse Maple
• Brown Sugar Bourbon
• Fiesta Seasoning Rub
• Teriyaki Seasoning
• Chipotle Lime
• Chipotle & Roasted Garlic
• Mesquite
• Blackened Spice Seasoning
• Montreal Chicken
• Kinder's Buttery Steakhouse

​Original recipe published June 2022.  Inspired by HeyGrillHey.
 
© SnowflakesandCoffeecakes.  All images, attachments & content are copyright protected. All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to www.snowflakesandcoffeecakes.com for the recipe.
 
Tried it and loved it? Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @SnowflakesandCoffeecakes and by using the hashtag #SnowflakesandCoffeecakes                 

NEVER MISS A NEW RECIPE FOR YOUR BACKYARD BARBECUE!  FOLLOW SNOWFLAKES & COFFEECAKES ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & PINTEREST!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

Traeger Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes

Traeger Smoked Barbecue Ribs