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traeger smoked chicken breasts on a white plate
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Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts

Our Traeger Smoked Chicken breasts are first dry brined and seasoned overnight to get the most flavor and juiciest meat.
Then we show you how to smoke the chicken breasts with indirect heat on the Traeger pellet grill. They are finished with a delicious bbq sauce glaze.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Dry Brine Time 8 hours
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 550kcal
Author Mads Martigan
Cost $15

Equipment

  • Traeger Pellet Grill
  • Wood Pellets preferably a fruitwood like apple or cherry; or oak
  • Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
  • Meat Carving Knife
  • Paper Towels
  • Instant Read and/or Leave in Probe Thermometer
  • Basting brush
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients

  • 8 Chicken Breasts boneless skinless
  • 2 tablespoon Three Little Pigs BBQ Rub or your favorite BBQ rub for chicken or our "In a Pinch" Recipe Below
  • ¼ Cup Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce
  • ¼ Cup Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce

"In a Pinch" BBQ Rub

  • 2 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt adjust as needed
  • ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Course Ground Black Pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional

Instructions

Wash the Chicken Breasts

  • Remove the chicken breasts from their packaging and rinse under cold running water. Pay dry with paper towels.
    8 Chicken Breasts

Dry Brine Overnight

  • Place the chicken breasts on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet.
  • Use your favorite BBQ rub, or our "In a Pinch" recipe above, and sprinkle generously over the tops and bottoms of each chicken breast.
    2 Tbsp Three Little Pigs BBQ Rub or your favorite BBQ rub for chicken or our "In a Pinch" Recipe Below
    seasoned chicken breasts
  • Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.
  • Remove the next day right before smoking.

Start the Traeger Pellet Grill

  • Remove the fire pot from the bottom of the Traeger and clean out any ashes left over from the last cook. Replace it and make sure it is secured in place with the clips on either side.
    a dirty ash pot
  • Load the hopper of the Traeger with your chosen wood pellets.
  • Turn on the Traeger and move the dial to the "Smoke" setting.
  • Leave the lid open for 5-7 minutes until you start seeing white billowing smoke coming out of the grill. This means the initial pellets are igniting.
    traeger pellet grill making thick white start up smoke
  • Close the lid and turn the temperature dial to 300°F. Allow 10-15 minutes for the grill to come up to temperature.
  • Clean the grill grates with a good grill brush and close the lid again.

Smoke the Chicken Breasts

  • Place the chicken breasts on the Traeger. You can flip and rotate periodically for even cooking on the Traeger.
    raw chicken breasts on a traeger pellet grill
  • Continue smoking the chicken breasts, rotating occasionally, until the internal temperature of each breast reaches 140°F internally. This may take about 45 minutes.
  • Mix the two types of Blues Hog BBQ sauce together in a small bowl, gently baste the sauce on with a basting brush. Close the lid and continue cooking.
    ¼ Cup Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce, ¼ Cup Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce
    saucing a chicken breast on a traeger
  • Once the internal temperature of the smoked chicken breasts reaches 165°F, remove them from the Traeger and place on a serving tray
  • Serve immediately with extra sauce if desired.
    chicken breasts smoking on a traeger pellet grill

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal