Smoked BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2 whole chickens, cut in half or 3-4 pounds chicken thighs or breasts

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• ½ tablespoon seasoning salt

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Spritz:

• 1 cup apple juice

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup water

For the BBQ Sauce:

• 1 cup favorite BBQ sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat smoker to 225°F, with fruitwood or hickory for smoke flavor.

2. Prepare dry rub: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, seasoning salt, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder.

3. Season chicken: Rub olive oil over chicken pieces. Generously coat both sides with the dry rub.

4. Smoke chicken: Place chicken in smoker. After 1 hour, spritz with apple juice mixture. Continue spritzing every 20-25 minutes until internal temperature reaches about 150°F in thickest part of chicken.

5. Sauce and finish: Brush chicken with BBQ sauce and melted butter. Increase smoker temperature to 300°F and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and sauce caramelizes nicely.

6. Rest and serve: Remove chicken from smoker and rest for 20-30 minutes before serving. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

This method yields tender, flavorful smoked BBQ chicken with a perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and spicy, ideal for summer cookouts or comfort meals.