Instructions

1. Prep your chicken – First spatchcock it with your kitchen shears. ( Video on this method coming soon)
2. Use about 2 tablespoons salt and sprinkle on both sides of the meat.
3. Use your favorite spice blend and sprinkle it on both sides of the meat. We used 2 teaspoons Italian season, and a tablespoon each of garlic and onion powder. Set aside.
4. In the bottom bowl of your smoker, add a layer of smaller pieces of charcoal
5. Give the coals a good spray of the lighter fluid and let soak for 5 min
6. Put the bowl into your smoker and carefully light coals in a few places
7. Let burn uncovered for about 15 min
8. Soak 3 large handfuls of wood chips in water
9. After 15 min, fill the bottom bowl with charcoal and top with the wood pieces.  It should start to steam/smoke.
10. Fill the second bowl with hot water.
11. Place your grate in the smoker and then your chicken skin side up on the grate.
12. Insert the meat thermometer in the thick part of the breast. Keep the probe horizontal. Cover with the lid.
13. Check the temperature about every hour.  The cooking time depends on the smoker, the amount of fuel and the ambient temperature. Ours usually take 3-4 hours. Its ready to be grilled at about 145-150, as it will get cooked some more on the grill.
14. When you get closer to temperature – heat up your grill or warm up your oven by turning on the broiler if you prefer to broil
15. When you hit 145-150 degrees take the lid off the smoker and brush the skin with some cooking fat like butter.
16. Remove the chicken from the smoker and place skin side down on your grill.  Watch for big flare ups of your grill so you don’t burn the skin.  Let cook for just a minute or 2.
17. Alternatively, you can put your chicken under your oven broiler skin side up to crisp up the skin.
18. Once done let the chicken rest on a cutting board covered with foil.  That will let the juice redistribute so the meat stays super moist. I let mine rest 15-30 minutes.
19. Cut and serve! We usually eat the legs that night and save the rest for salads, tacos and eggs during the week.  It makes GREAT leftovers!