If you’re a fan of vibrant flavours and smoky goodness, smoking chicken is a game-changer. Today, we’re diving into the art of cooking smoky chicken on a smoker, with tips and a recipe for Smoker BBQ Peri Peri Chicken from Manu Feildel.
Here we take you through the steps to achieve a smoky, succulent chicken that’s bursting with zesty, spicy flavours!
Manu’s Smoker BBQ Peri Peri Chicken recipe
Cook on a smoker, or on a standard BBQ.
SERVES 4–6 | PREP 15 MINS, COOK 3 HOURS
Ingredients:
- 1.8kg chicken, butterfield
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt flakes
- 1 lemon, halved
Peri Peri Sauce:
- 1⁄2 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 8 birds eye chilies, chopped
Method:
- Butterfly the chicken by cutting out and removing the backbone.
- Heat a smoker at 120°C or if using a barbecue preheat to medium heat (about 200°C for a barbeque with a lid). Preferably with indirect heat (only outer ring of flames).
- For the dry spice mix, combine dried oregano, smoked paprika and salt flakes into a small bowl. Rub spice mix all over chicken.
- Place chicken skin side up onto the smoker and cook for 3 hours or until cooked and charred. If using a bbq, cook for 1 hour until charred.
- For the Peri Peri sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, chili and cook for another minute. Add the paprika, oregano, salt flakes and cook for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients then stir and cook for 6–8 minutes until liquid has reduced slightly. Cool slightly then place in a food processor and whiz until a smooth sauce. Season to taste.
- In the last hour of cooking, spoon the Peri Peri sauce over the chicken and continue to cook for the full amount of time.
- Add the lemon halves to the smoker or barbeque cut side down too. If you want to make sure the chicken is cooked through, make a small incision with a knife at the leg joint – if the juices run clear then the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the smoker with the lemons and rest, lightly covered with foil for 10 minutes. This is an important step, don’t skip it. Cut up the chicken and serve with remaining Peri Peri, drizzled with roasted lemon and any resting juices and coriander.
Serve with a tomato, cucumber garden salad and charred corn.
Watch the video of Manu creating smoky BBQ Peri Peri Chicken on a smoker here:
How to cook chicken on a smoker
“When it comes to smoking chicken, you have a few options: whole chickens, chicken breasts, thighs, or wings. Each has its own cooking time and flavour profile. Whole chickens are ideal for a classic smoke, while parts like thighs and wings are quicker and very flavourful due to their higher fat content,” says Manu.
The below tips focus on a whole chicken, but the principles apply to any cut.
1. Clean and Trim the Chicken: Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Remove excess fat.
2. Brine (Optional but Recommended): This adds extra moisture and flavour. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar in 4 cups of water, submerge chicken for at least 2 hours in fridge. Rinse the chicken and pat dry before seasoning.
3. Season: Rub the chicken all over with your seasoning, including under the skin and inside the cavity (below is a recipe for Peri Peri).
4. Choose your smoker wood: For chicken, mild woods like apple, cherry or pecan work.
5. Preheat the Smoker: Set your smoker to 107°C to 121°C. If you’re using a charcoal smoker, light the coals and add your chosen wood chips or chunks. For electric or pellet smokers, add the wood pellets or chips according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Smoke the Chicken: Position the chicken on the smoker rack, breast side up, ensuring enough space around the bird for the smoke to circulate evenly. Smoking a whole chicken usually takes 3 to 4 hours, time can vary based on the size of the bird and consistency of your smokers temperature. Use a meat thermometer to check – when the internal temperature reaches 74°C in the thickest part of the thigh its done.
7. Optional Glaze: For a tasty twist, you can brush the chicken with a glaze during the last 1 hour to 30 minutes of smoking.
8. Rest and Serve: Once the chicken reaches 74°C in the thickest part of the thigh, remove it from the smoker and let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a juicier bite.
Carve the chicken and serve it with your favourite sides. Smoker chicken pairs beautifully with coleslaw, corn, or a fresh garden salad.
What Makes BBQ Peri Peri Chicken Special?
Peri Peri chicken is celebrated for its spicy, tangy flavour, thanks to the Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) sauce, which originates from Portuguese and African cuisines. This sauce combines chili peppers, garlic, lemon, and other spices to create a mouthwatering marinade. When smoked, the chicken takes on an additional layer of smoky depth that perfectly complements the fiery peri peri flavours.
Download Manu’s Smoker BBQ Peri Peri Chicken recipe, plus ten other recipes from Manu Feildel in the FREE ‘Farm to Fork with Manu’ recipe e-Book.