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Smoked Chicken Breast: Juicy, Smoky and Simple
Smoked chicken breast is one of the easiest things to make on a smoker: a short brine, a sweet-and-savory rub, and about 1½ to 2 hours over gentle wood smoke. The result is juicy, lightly smoky chicken that you can serve as a main course or slice for sandwiches, salads and wraps all week. The trick with lean breast meat is to brine it and pull it off at the right temperature, and this recipe walks you through both.
Below you’ll find the ingredients, equipment, smoker temperature and timing, step-by-step instructions, the best wood for chicken, tips and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.
Why This Smoked Chicken Breast Works
- A quick brine seasons the meat all the way through and helps it stay moist in the dry heat of a smoker.
- A low, steady temperature (225°F to 250°F) gives the chicken time to take on smoke before it’s cooked.
- A thermometer, not the clock, tells you when it’s done, so it never dries out.
Ingredients for Smoked Chicken Breast
For the brine
- Cold water, 4 cups (1 liter).
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ cup (36 g), or 2 tablespoons table salt.
- Brown sugar, 2 tablespoons.
For the chicken and rub
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 (about 8 oz / 225 g each).
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon.
- Rub: 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder, ½ teaspoon each black pepper and dried thyme, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional). No extra salt, because the brine adds it.
Equipment You Need
- A smoker (pellet, electric, charcoal or a kettle grill set up for indirect heat).
- Wood chips, chunks or pellets: apple, cherry, pecan or hickory.
- An instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer. This is the most important tool here.
- A large bowl or zip-top bag for brining.
How to Make Smoked Chicken Breast (Step by Step)
1. Brine (1 to 2 hours)
Stir the salt and brown sugar into the cold water until dissolved. Add the chicken, make sure it’s covered, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, no longer, or the texture can turn spongy.
2. Heat the smoker
Fill and heat your smoker to 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C) following the manufacturer’s directions, and add your wood.
3. Dry and season
Take the chicken out of the brine, rinse it briefly in a bowl of cold water (not under the tap, to avoid splashing), and pat it very dry. If one end of a breast is much thicker, pound it gently to an even thickness. Rub with the oil, then coat all over with the rub.
4. Smoke
Lay the breasts on the grate with space between them and close the lid. Smoke until the thickest part reaches 160°F (71°C), about 1½ to 2 hours at 225°F, or 1 to 1½ hours at 250°F. Start checking early; thickness and smokers vary a lot.
5. Finish to 165°F and rest
Move the chicken to a plate, tent it loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will keep rising; check that the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), and return it to the smoker for a few minutes if it doesn’t.
6. Slice and serve
Slice across the grain and serve warm, or chill it for sandwiches and salads.
Smoker Chicken Breast Temp and Timing
| Smoker temperature | Approximate time (8 oz breasts) | Pull at | Safe after resting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 225°F (107°C) | 1½ to 2 hours | 160°F (71°C) | 165°F (74°C) |
| 250°F (121°C) | 1 to 1½ hours | 160°F (71°C) | 165°F (74°C) |
| 275°F (135°C) | 50 to 70 minutes | 160°F (71°C) | 165°F (74°C) |
The FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature for all poultry is 165°F (74°C). Always confirm with a thermometer; smoked chicken can stay pink near the surface even when fully cooked, so color isn’t a reliable sign.
Best Wood for Smoked Chicken
- Apple and cherry: mild and slightly sweet, and cherry gives the chicken a deep mahogany color. Best for beginners.
- Pecan: a little nuttier and stronger than fruit woods.
- Hickory: bold and bacon-like. Mix it half and half with a fruit wood so it doesn’t overpower lean breast meat.
- Mesquite: very strong. Skip it for chicken, or use only a small amount.
Chef Emma’s Tips for the Best Smoked Chicken Breast
- Don’t skip the brine. It’s the difference between juicy and dry breast meat.
- Use thin, clean smoke. Thick white smoke tastes bitter; you want light, almost blue smoke.
- Keep the lid closed. Every peek lets out heat and smoke and adds time.
- Even thickness, even cooking. Pounding the thick end keeps the thin end from drying out.
- Want crisp edges? Sear the smoked breasts on a hot grill or skillet for 1 minute per side before resting.
Easy Variations and Substitutions
- Bone-in, skin-on breasts: smoke at 275°F so the skin renders, and expect 1½ to 2 hours.
- BBQ glazed: brush with your favorite barbecue sauce for the last 10 minutes.
- Lemon herb: replace the rub with lemon zest, garlic, oregano, thyme and black pepper.
- No smoker: set up a gas or charcoal grill for indirect heat with a foil packet or smoker box of soaked wood chips over the lit side.
- Whole smoked chicken: use a 4 to 5 lb bird at 250°F to 275°F for about 3 to 4 hours, until the thickest part of the thigh and breast both reach 165°F.
What to Serve With Smoked Chicken Breast
- Coleslaw, potato salad or corn on the cob
- Mac and cheese or baked beans
- Sliced on a Caesar or Cobb salad
- In sandwiches and wraps with avocado and a little barbecue sauce
More easy chicken: our oven roasted chicken thighs, air fryer chicken thighs and stove-top chicken thighs with 5 sauces. If you love your smoker, try our smoked salmon too, or browse all our chicken recipes.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Refrigerate within 2 hours, in an airtight container, for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze whole or sliced, wrapped well, for up to 4 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven with a splash of broth, or briefly in the microwave, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Cold slices are great as they are in salads.
These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.
Smoked Chicken Breast FAQs
How long does it take to smoke chicken breast?
About 1½ to 2 hours at 225°F, or 1 to 1½ hours at 250°F, for 8 oz breasts. Always go by internal temperature, not time.
What temperature should smoked chicken breast be?
165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. You can take it off at about 160°F and let the rest bring it up to 165°F, but check it.
Why is my smoked chicken pink inside?
Smoke can turn the outer layer of meat pink even when it’s fully cooked. If the thermometer reads 165°F, it’s safe.
Can I skip the brine?
Yes, but season the chicken with about ¾ teaspoon salt per pound and watch the temperature closely, since unbrined breast dries out faster.
Smoked Chicken Breast Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate per breast (with rub) based on USDA FoodData Central values for raw boneless, skinless chicken breast; the brine adds a small, uncounted amount of sugar and sodium.
Smoked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Dissolve the salt and sugar in the cold water, add the chicken and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
- Heat the smoker to 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C) with apple, cherry, pecan or hickory wood.
- Rinse the chicken briefly in a bowl of cold water, pat very dry, pound thick ends even, rub with oil and coat with the rub.
- Smoke with the lid closed until the thickest part reaches 160°F (71°C), about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 225°F or 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 250°F.
- Rest 10 minutes under loose foil and confirm it reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Slice across the grain and serve, or chill for salads and sandwiches.
