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An overheat image of a butterflied smoked whole chicken on parchment paper on a cutting board.
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4.60 from 47 votes

Spatchcocked Smoked Chicken

Smoked Spatchcock Chicken is incredible juicy and moist with a faster cooking time and lots of great smoke flavor thanks to more surface area of the chicken that is exposed to the smoke! The low, slow heat and wood smoke make the most mouthwatering, gorgeous chicken you have ever seen!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 546kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pound whole chicken
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Dry Rub

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

To spatchcock the chicken

  • Place the bird breast-side down with the legs pointing toward you. Use kitchen shears to cut down both sides of the backbone through the ribs to remove the spine.
  • Open up the chicken and use a sharp knife to cut a slit through the cartilage in the center of the chicken near the breastbone. Flip the chicken over and press in the middle to lay it out flat.
  • Rub the chicken all over with the oil. Combine the dry rub ingredients and rub a liberal amount all over both sides of the chicken.

Fast Method: High Heat (around 1 hour)

  • Preheat Traeger grill to high heat of around 400 degrees F. Place the chicken breast side up on the grill, spreading out the legs so it lays flat. Grill on high for 30 minutes, then turn temperature down to 325 degrees F for the remaining time it takes for the chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Remove from grill and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Slow Method: Low Heat (around 3-4 hours)

  • Preheat Traeger grill to between 225 and 275 degrees F. Place the chicken breast side up on the grill, spreading out the legs so it lays flat. Smoke for 3-4 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Remove from grill and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1284mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg