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smoked spatchcocked chicken ocooking n a pellet grill
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Spatchcocked BBQ Chicken on a Pellet Grill

A whole chicken spatchcocked, seasoned, and smoked to perfection on a pellet grill with step by step instructions.
Whether you've got a Traeger, Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Yoder, or any other type of pellet grill, we've got you covered!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 300kcal
Author Mads Martigan
Cost 10

Equipment

  • Pellet Grill
  • Sharp Pair of Kitchen Shears
  • Wood Pellets - Hickory, Oak, or Fruitwood
  • Internal Meat Thermometers
  • Carving Knife

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • Your Favorite BBQ rub
  • Kosher Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Clean and Spatchcock the Chicken

  • Clean, rinse, and pat dry the whole chicken well with paper towels.
  • Trim any excess pieces of skin or fat off of the chicken
  • Place the chicken on a cutting board with the breasts DOWN. The legs and wings wil also be pointing down.
    a raw chicken about to be spatchcocked
  • Using kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone from one end to the other, cutting all the way through.
    cutting and spatchcocking chicken to smoke on a pellet grill
  • Repeat on the other side of the backbone and then remove the entire backbone.
    cutting backbone from spatchcocked chicken
  • Flip the chicken back over, hold the sides, and press your thumbs against the breastbone in the center.
  • Apply gentle pressure with your thumbs unil you hear a snap and then lay the chicken out flat on the cutting board.
    snapping the breastbone of a spatchcocked chicken

Smoking the Chicken on the Pellet Grill

  • Apply kosher salt, pepper, or your favorite BBQ rub to both sides of the spatchcocked chicken.
    a seasoned spatchcocked chicken ready to go on a pellet grill
  • Fill the hopper with pellets, start up pellet grill, and preheat to 300-350°F. If your BBQ rub has a lot of sugar in it, choose 300°F. If you only used salt and pepper, go ahead and use 325-350°F.
    setting temperature on a pellet grill
  • Place the spatchcocked chicken on the pellet grill, directly on the grill grates with the breast side facing up.
  • Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the breasts, and anohter one, if you have one, into the middle of one of the thighs.
    placing temperature probes in a spatchcocked chicken
  • Close the lid, cook the spatchcocked chicken for about 1.5 to 2 hours.
  • When the internal temperature of the breast has reached 165°F, and the internal temperature of the thigh hits 175°F, remove the chicken from the pellet grill.
    smoked spatchcocked chicken ocooking n a pellet grill

Rest and Carve

  • Let the chicken rest for 15-20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute.
  • Carve, plate, and serve immediately.
    Carving a spatchcocked chicken

Notes

Video courtesy of Mr. Big Kid.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal