Easy Roast Chicken on the WSM Smoker

Here’s the thing about BBQ chicken. Smoked chicken sounds easy, right? Whack it on the smoker, shut the lid, wait around looking smug. Except... it’s also weirdly easy to mess up. Dry, pale, limp-skinned bird? Yeah, I’ve been there. Once made a chicken so chewy my dog spat it out. True story. Let me show you how to cook a smoked chicken on the BBQ that tastes like you definitely know what you're doing (even if you’re winging it a bit).

BBQ chicken on the smoker

If you’ve just got yourself a smoker, or if the old Weber’s been looking lonely in the shed, this recipe’s a brilliant way to get stuck in. We’re not doing anything too fancy here — no 48-hour brine rituals or obscure rubs with 17 spices. Just a whole chicken, a smoky setup, and a bit of know-how to help you dodge dry meat and dodge the dreaded rubbery skin. Because let’s be honest, nobody wants to chew their way through a bird that tastes like a flip-flop. I’ll walk you through how I prep mine on the WSM (Weber Smoky Mountain), what I use to keep it juicy, how I make sure the skin actually crisps up plus why you should stop fussing over exact timings and just cook to temperature. It’s BBQ, not bake-off. So grab yourself a chicken, light those coals, and let’s get smokin’.

The reason this is a good introduction recipe is because if it goes wrong, the meat it cheap (pardon the pun). Also, it's not too difficult to get wrong. There are a couple of things you have to keep in mind while cooking, but otherwise you are good to go. If you are feeling adventurous you can of course try one of my other BBQ smoker recipes!

WSM Smoker coals setup

First of all, there are two methods to setting up your smoker coals. You can either go for a slower, longer burn or a shorter quicker (hotter) burn. There are numerous methods and techniques to use however different methods get different results. I'm not going to cover in this recipe the various methods as there are plenty of resources online and elsewhere on my site.

My favourite way is to arrange the coals in a way that is a slower thin burn for an hour, then more coals join and get the heat up for the final 90 minutes. This method takes some working out but results in a much crispier skin rather than a rubbery one which can be notorious with chicken on the smoker.

Preparing The Chicken For The Smoker

A key part to smoking is not wanting the meat to dry out. To achieve this it is imperative that some form of coat between the meat and the heat is included. For this recipe I am using my lemon and coriander marinade. It is a simple base coat to brush onto the chicken but it helps keep the meat from drying out and finishes the dish with a nice colour.

BBQ Smoker Chicken Ingredients

A simple base of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Coriander is all that is required for this marinade baste.

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• 2 twists of salt
• 2 twists of pepper
• 1 tablespoon (approx 2 good sprigs) of coriander

Thrown them all in a little dish and mix up. A twist of salt and pepper means a full grind (or a pinch). Simply paint this on to the chicken all sides, top and bottom and leave it to soak in. The flavours will make it extra special when you cook the roast chicken on the WSM.

For any type of meat, it is always best to lift it out of the fridge and let it acclimatise for a couple of hours before smoking (depending on where you live of course). Don't leave it out too long if you are in a hot country.

For the marinade to work it's best, do the brushing of the oil and lemon juice the night before. Leave it to penetrate the meat (#chuckle) overnight in the fridge and then you will be ready to roast chicken on the smoky mountain.

BBQ chicken on the Smoky Mountain

Once your smoker is set and ready, then you are ready to put your roast chicken on the WSM. Keep an eye on the temperatures, some say every hour but I suggest every 30 minutes. Although the Tip Top Temp is great for regulating the temperature, it is certainly not a set and forget method so you do need to watch those temperatures.

You are looking to get an internal chicken temperature of 74c/165f which will indicate when it is ready. You will notice I'm not very specific on time because you should always cook to temperature and not to time when it comes to smoking.

Use a temperature probe device to keep track of the internal temperatures. I am a big fan of the Inkbird range of temperature probes. They are a solid investment for your BBQ accessories and can be used in numerous ways for a whole host of cooks.

I hope you enjoy cooking your whole roast chicken on the WSM, it is a whole new experience to taste smoked poultry. There are plenty more recipes that work with the smoker such as my BBQ smoked gammon recipe and pork belly bites.

Smoker Chicken FAQ's