Smoked Chicken With Orange Glaze
Updated October 21, 2025
- Ready In
- About 15 hr
- (12 hr brining; 3 hr smoking)
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds), spatchcocked (see Tip)
4 pounds charcoal (lump or briquettes)
2 pounds wood chips, preferably applewood
1 cup orange marmalade
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Preparation
- Step 1
About 15 hours before your cookout, mix the salt, black pepper and paprika for the dry brine. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet for your chicken to rest on and make space in the fridge for it.
- Step 2
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set on the rack in the pan. Generously rub the dry brine over the entire bird (not under the skin as the salt will penetrate the skin’s pores during the brining process). Tuck the wings under the body and place the chicken in the fridge, uncovered, to dry brine for up to 12 hours.
- Step 3
One hour prior to smoking the chicken, prepare a charcoal grill for smoking. (Or, use a smoker as you normally would following the temperatures below.) For easy cleanup in a grill, line half the bottom rack with foil. On the other (unlined) half of the rack, mix together a mound of the charcoal and wood chips. Light the charcoal with the lid on, incrementally adjusting the vents for more airflow until the pit thermometer reaches 300 degrees.
- Step 4
Place the chicken on the grill rack over the empty foil-lined side so that the chicken legs are closest to the coals and close the lid. This will allow the chicken to cook more evenly as thigh meat will require a higher final temperature for doneness. Allow the meat to slowly cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours, continuing to adjust the vents incrementally to maintain 300 degrees.
- Step 5
While the chicken is cooking, mix the orange marmalade, sesame oil, soy sauce and crushed red pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.
- Step 6
Once the breast’s internal temperature has reached 160 degrees, brush the chicken with the orange glaze and close the lid to allow the glaze to set, about 5 minutes.
- Step 7
Using a large, flat spatula, gently pull the chicken from the grill and transfer to a cutting board. Allow the meat to rest for 10 to 20 minutes. The chicken will continue cooking during this time and the natural juices will settle for more tender meat. Carve and serve.
Some markets sell spatchcocked chickens or will spatchcock the bird for you. If you can find only whole chickens, spatchcock it yourself: Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board and, using a pair of kitchen shears, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down on the breast until the bird lies flat on its ribs. You should hear a cracking sound when the chicken has been properly spatchcocked.
Private Notes
Comments
Spatchcocking allows me to smoke a chicken in my small, two burner, low headroom, tailgating propane grill (with a smoker box full of wood chips). (Not to mention how fast it makes the process.) It's literally not a pointless technique. Maybe try using it to fully and evenly roast your Thanksgiving turkey this year in under ONE hour. Check this out; you just might become a convert. https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000002547372/how-to-spatchcock-a-turkey.html
@Sue W. The Traeger produces smoke at all temperatures. It just produces less smoke at higher temperatures and this can work to your benefit with chicken and turkey because they are best with just a little smoke. Without getting too technical at lower temperatures, the burning wood pellets produce more byproducts and impurities that we call smoke. At higher temperatures, they are all combusted so there is less smoke.
How could one prepare this recipe with smoking the bird?
@Sam it is good to think of smoke is just another spice. You can do this recipe in the oven. You just won’t have that extra spice. I am sure it will turn out lovely.
Spatchcocking sounds fancy, but it's literally pointless. Just dry brine it then BBQ it. BBQ, which is that wonderful temperature in between smoking and grilling, is magical for chicken, and bratwurst.
Spatchcocking allows me to smoke a chicken in my small, two burner, low headroom, tailgating propane grill (with a smoker box full of wood chips). (Not to mention how fast it makes the process.) It's literally not a pointless technique. Maybe try using it to fully and evenly roast your Thanksgiving turkey this year in under ONE hour. Check this out; you just might become a convert. https://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000002547372/how-to-spatchcock-a-turkey.html
Not at all pointless. For grilling, it allows the chicken to cook more evenly. I haven't tried it for smoking. I might employ that with smoking a turkey. I use Weber's Chicken under a Brick recipe and it always comes out perfect. I use an iron skillet for the "brick" and put seasoned potatoes in it so they're roasting while the chicken grills.
This sounds wonderful, but our Traeger smoker grill will only "smoke" up to 225 degrees. How can we adjust the recipe for that??
Hi Sue, maybe you're thinking of the super smoke option? The Traeger will still produce smoke at 300F, just somewhat less. It'll still be delicious! I smoked a turkey at 275 for Thanksgiving oast year and it turned out perfectly.
@Sue W. The Traeger produces smoke at all temperatures. It just produces less smoke at higher temperatures and this can work to your benefit with chicken and turkey because they are best with just a little smoke. Without getting too technical at lower temperatures, the burning wood pellets produce more byproducts and impurities that we call smoke. At higher temperatures, they are all combusted so there is less smoke.