Smoked Chicken Breast
Brined and smoked chicken breast is so tender and juicy, you'll wonder why you haven't been making it all along!
Ingredients
- 6 boneless chicken breast
brine:
- 8 cups water divded
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
chicken rub:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add 8 cups water, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup kosher salt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning. Bring it to simmer and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the brine to a large non-reactive container. Add the remaining water and whisk until completely combined.
- Place the chicken breasts into the brine, cover the brine container and place it in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
- Prior to removing chicken breast from the fridge, preheat the smoker to 225f. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Set the rub aside.
- Remove chicken from the fridge, rinse well and pat dry. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the rub.
- Once the smoker has been preheated, place the chicken on the smoker and place the breasts face up on the middle rack of your grill. Place a temperature probe into the thickest part of the largest chicken breast. Smoke at 225f for 45 minutes.
- Increase temperature to 350f and cook the chicken until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165-170f.
- Remove the smoked chicken breasts from the smoker and allow them to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing or shredding.
Notes
How to store + reheat
Smoked chicken breast can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days or vacuum-sealed and frozen for up to 6 months. Frozen smoked chicken is such a convenient precooked food to have on hand. A delicious pre-cooked protein can make a quick dinner in a real hurry! To reheat, you can pop the chicken into a sous vide bag and reheat in a water bath at 165 for about an hour, microwave until heated through or in a covered baking dish in the oven at 250 for about 20 minutes or until heated through.