Pulled Chicken on the Smoker
For years our trusty Traeger electric smoker has been one of our favorite ways to cook any cut of meat. It consistently maintains an even temperature and adds the best smoky flavors. My mouth is watering now just thinking about it! If you also love cooking on your smoker, it is time to make this smoked pulled chicken recipe. So easy to scale to the amount you need. Whether you are making some for dinner, a family gathering, or just as meal prep for the week…trust us, you won’t regret it!
Looking for More Ways To Cook Chicken Thighs?
Then you definitely need to try our juicy Blackstone Chicken Thighs! Another great way to bring your cooking outside!
Smoking Different Cuts of Chicken
Is this recipe card we used boneless skinless chicken thighs, but you could absolutely use other cuts of chicken:
- Smoked Chicken Breasts – if you prefer a leaner meat, this is a great option!
- Smoked Chicken Quarters – perfect for those that love the dark meat and they have the added bonus of some crispy skin on the outside.
- Whole Chicken Smoked – a great way to make a large amount of pulled chicken for any special occasion or gathering. Try a Smoked Beer Can Chicken to make it even more tender!
- Smoked Chicken Legs – our grocery store has these on sale pretty often, especially on football Sundays, so we like to take advantage and use them to make a big batch.
How To Make Smoked Pulled Chicken
Begin by mixing up all the seasoning and coating those outside of the chicken. Preheat the smoker and toss them right on the grates.
Best Wood Chips to Use
This depends on the flavor profile that you are hoping to achieve. Fruit woods typically go well with chicken, like apple or cherry. But we also love a mesquite or hickory wood to change it up!
After letting the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes it is time to get to work with 2 forks and pull the meat apart.
Serve any way you want or store for later!
Best Ways To Serve Smoked Pulled Chicken
There are SO many delicious pulled chicken recipes! A few of our favorites are:
- Host the most delicious barbecue by simply pouring on your favorite bbq sauce and enjoying it as a smoked pulled chicken sandwich with creamy coleslaw!
- Toss some on a salad recipe – we love this chicken on our BBQ Chicken Salad.
- Having some cooked, pulled chicken around is perfect for using using to make nachos, chicken enchiladas, or our chicken bacon ranch quesadillas!
How to Keep Pulled Chicken Warm for a Crowd?
Nobody wants dried out chicken, but if you are making a large amount for a crowd you need a way to keep it warm AND juicy. Therefore, we recommend putting it in a crockpot, covered, on the warm setting with your favorite sauce. Everyone can help themselves as they get hungry.
Storage & Freezer
Keep cooked, pulled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Or in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Depending on how you want to serve it, the chicken can be reheated when cooking your recipe (i.e. enchiladas) or simply reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. If warming in the oven, be sure to cover and possibly add a little sauce to prevent it from drying out.
Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like
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Smoked Pulled Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Smoker
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our mouth-watering Smoked Pulled Chicken is the perfect way to cook chicken for barbecue sandwiches, enchiladas, or any other chicken recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
Instructions
- Make Dry Rub: Put all of the spices and seasonings in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Prep: Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Cover all sides of each chicken thigh with the dry rub mixture.
- Smoke: Place the seasoned chicken directly on the smoker grates and let them smoke for 50-65 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F (use a meat thermometer). Brush the chicken with some avocado oil or olive oil halfway through the cooking process.
- Rest + Shred: Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken.
- Serve: Enjoy right away or add to your favorite recipe – we love making Smoked Pulled Chicken Sandwiches!
Notes
- What temperature do you pull smoked chicken at? Chicken is considered fully cooked at an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. We recommend letting it reach that temp and then let it rest for 5-10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
- Chicken Thighs: if you prefer bone-in chicken thighs, try our Smoked Chicken Thighs!
- Storage: leftover pulled chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 137
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 405.6 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 19.8 g
- Cholesterol: 93.4 mg
Erin says
So easy and the flavor was amazing – thank you!
Erin says
Yay! Love hearing that!