Smoked pulled chicken is simple to make, whether you’re eating it with sides like cornbread or stuffing it into buns with slaw. The smoking process yields juicy, smoky meat that works in many recipes.

Smoked Pulled Chicken Recipe: How to Smoke Chicken

Pulled chicken is meat that you pull off the bones and shred. Stir the shredded chicken into soups, tuck it into tacos, make it into chicken salad, mix it with [BBQ sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aaron-franklins-bbq-rib-sauce-recipe), or serve it as a main course along with your favorite side dishes. 

For a classic and flavorful BBQ chicken sandwich, toss the pulled chicken in barbecue sauce and serve it atop toasted buns along with creamy [coleslaw](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coleslaw-recipe).
Here’s how to make juicy, flavorful smoked chicken at home: 

1. __Use chicken thighs__. You can smoke a whole chicken for pulled chicken, but keep in mind that chicken breasts are leaner than thighs and cook at a different rate. Using thighs alone ensures even cooking time and juicy, tender meat. 
2. __Brine the meat__. Smoking is a slow-cooking process that uses indirect heat. This cooking method can dry out leaner cuts of meat like chicken and turkey if not brined first. You can use a wet or dry brine. Learn how to [brine chicken](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-brine-chicken).
3. __Use hardwood__. Choose hardwoods like cherry, pecan, mesquite, hickory, or applewood when smoking meat. Each of these [smoking woods](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-select-smoking-woods) will impart a unique flavor, and you can use any of them in a smoked chicken recipe. Softwoods, like pine and cedar, or chemically treated lumber are not ideal for smoking as they contain resin, sap, and toxins that could cause illness.
1. __Brine the chicken__. Use a dry or wet brine to prepare your chicken. Unlike large cuts like [brisket](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-smoke-brisket-with-barbeque-pitmaster-aaron-franklin) or pork shoulder, chicken thighs are relatively thin and only require about two to three hours of brining time. Learn [how to brine](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-brine-learn-how-to-brine-fish-meat-and-poultry-plus-3-brining-recipes) meat at home.
2. __Prepare the smoker__. Select hardwood or pellets and heat the smoker to 230 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer’s directions.
3. __Season with a rub__. A dry rub creates a burnished coating on the chicken, giving it a rich flavor and deeply caramelized color. After the chicken has marinated, pat it dry. Then coat the chicken with a few tablespoons of mustard and apple cider vinegar to help adhere the rub and get an even, seasoned coating on the chicken thighs.
4. __Smoke in a roasting pan__. Transfer the seasoned chicken to an aluminum roasting pan or an aluminum foil–lined pan with a rack that fits into your smoker. Smoke until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 
5. __Rest before pulling__. Let the chicken rest for at least twenty minutes after removing it from the smoker, allowing the heat and juices to redistribute. Using forks, pull the meat off the bones after the chicken has rested but is still warm. Save the bones to make homemade [chicken stock](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-make-chicken-stock-with-chef-thomas-kellers-chicken-stock-recipe).
Smoked pulled chicken is simple to make, whether you’re eating it with sides like cornbread or stuffing it into buns with slaw. The smoking process yields juicy, smoky meat that works in many recipes.

Pulled chicken is meat that you pull off the bones and shred. Stir the shredded chicken into soups, tuck it into tacos, make it into chicken salad, mix it with <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aaron-franklins-bbq-rib-sauce-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aaron-franklins-bbq-rib-sauce-recipe","linkCopy":"BBQ sauce","category":null}'>BBQ sauce</a>, or serve it as a main course along with your favorite side dishes. For a classic and flavorful BBQ chicken sandwich, toss the pulled chicken in barbecue sauce and serve it atop toasted buns along with creamy <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coleslaw-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/coleslaw-recipe","linkCopy":"coleslaw","category":null}'>coleslaw</a>.

What Is Pulled Chicken?

Here’s how to make juicy, flavorful smoked chicken at home: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use chicken thighs. You can smoke a whole chicken for pulled chicken, but keep in mind that chicken breasts are leaner than thighs and cook at a different rate. Using thighs alone ensures even cooking time and juicy, tender meat. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Brine the meat. Smoking is a slow-cooking process that uses indirect heat. This cooking method can dry out leaner cuts of meat like chicken and turkey if not brined first. You can use a wet or dry brine. Learn how to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-brine-chicken' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-brine-chicken","linkCopy":"brine chicken","category":null}'>brine chicken</a>. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Use hardwood. Choose hardwoods like cherry, pecan, mesquite, hickory, or applewood when smoking meat. Each of these <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-select-smoking-woods' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-select-smoking-woods","linkCopy":"smoking woods","category":null}'>smoking woods</a> will impart a unique flavor, and you can use any of them in a smoked chicken recipe. Softwoods, like pine and cedar, or chemically treated lumber are not ideal for smoking as they contain resin, sap, and toxins that could cause illness. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Smoking Pulled Chicken

<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Brine the chicken. Use a dry or wet brine to prepare your chicken. Unlike large cuts like <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-smoke-brisket-with-barbeque-pitmaster-aaron-franklin' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-smoke-brisket-with-barbeque-pitmaster-aaron-franklin","linkCopy":"brisket","category":null}'>brisket</a> or pork shoulder, chicken thighs are relatively thin and only require about two to three hours of brining time. Learn <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-brine-learn-how-to-brine-fish-meat-and-poultry-plus-3-brining-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-brine-learn-how-to-brine-fish-meat-and-poultry-plus-3-brining-recipes","linkCopy":"how to brine","category":null}'>how to brine</a> meat at home. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Prepare the smoker. Select hardwood or pellets and heat the smoker to 230 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer’s directions. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Season with a rub. A dry rub creates a burnished coating on the chicken, giving it a rich flavor and deeply caramelized color. After the chicken has marinated, pat it dry. Then coat the chicken with a few tablespoons of mustard and apple cider vinegar to help adhere the rub and get an even, seasoned coating on the chicken thighs. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Smoke in a roasting pan. Transfer the seasoned chicken to an aluminum roasting pan or an aluminum foil–lined pan with a rack that fits into your smoker. Smoke until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Rest before pulling. Let the chicken rest for at least twenty minutes after removing it from the smoker, allowing the heat and juices to redistribute. Using forks, pull the meat off the bones after the chicken has rested but is still warm. Save the bones to make homemade <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-make-chicken-stock-with-chef-thomas-kellers-chicken-stock-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-how-to-make-chicken-stock-with-chef-thomas-kellers-chicken-stock-recipe","linkCopy":"chicken stock","category":null}'>chicken stock</a>. </li></ol>

How to Smoke Chicken

Tangy Smoked Pulled Chicken Recipe

Smoked pulled chicken is simple to make, whether you’re eating it with sides like cornbread or stuffing it into buns with slaw. The smoking process yields juicy, smoky meat that works in many recipes.

Smoked pulled chicken is simple to make, whether you’re eating it with sides like cornbread or stuffing it into buns with slaw. The smoking process yields juicy, smoky meat that works in many recipes.
