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    Culinary Lion » Recipes » Keto Dinner Recipes » Keto Main Dishes » Pellet Grill Keto Smoked Half Chicken

    Pellet Grill Keto Smoked Half Chicken

    by Frank Campanella Leave a Comment

    This post may contain affiliate links that will not change your price but will share some commission. Please read the Privacy Policy

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Keto-Smoked Half Chicken will outperform any store-bought chicken. Once you taste it and see how easy it is, you'll never go back!

    smoked half chicken on a teak wood cutting board with onions and pickles

    Forget store-bought rotisserie chicken! This pellet grill smoked keto chicken recipe uses just three ingredients and gives the best results.

    This recipe is the ultimate guide to incredible low-carb, keto-friendly chicken.

    Looking for more Keto BBQ Recipes check out my Smoked Chuck Roast as well as my Texas Style Pellet Grill Beef Brisket recipes!

    crispy skin smoked chicken cut in half

    Smoked Chicken Recipe

    This Keto Smoked Half Chicken will absolutely blow away any store-bought rotisserie chicken. In fact, you can forget that store-bought chicken is even an option.

    We have all been there. I know everyone is busy, and you don't want to spend hours on dinner after a long day.

    But what if I told you it would only take 10-15 minutes to prep this smoked half-chicken recipe? You can literally set it and forget it.

    Smoked half chickens only take about 2 hours and the skin comes out crispy with perfect juicy meat!

    Spatchcock vs. Half Chicken Cooking Method

    You don't have to remove the bones around the ribcage if you don't want to. If you prefer, you can remove the backbone and crack the breastplate to serve spatchcock style.

    You can also use a cleaver or kitchen shears to cut down the center of the breast to split the chicken in half.

    I like to semi-debone the chicken because it makes serving it easy, and the kids like it because it's easier for them to eat.

    I also get to freeze the carcass and backbone for soups and stocks, so nothing goes to waste.

    smoked chicken leg quarter on a wood cutting board

    Ingredients for Keto Smoked Chicken

    Cut of Meat: For this recipe, we're going to use a whole chicken! Grab a 3-lb whole chicken from the meat counter at your local grocery store or butcher shop.

    Seasoning: Shake on delicious flavor by using 2 tbsp of Dan-O's Seasoning or your favorite poultry seasoning along with with1 tbsp of Texas Rub salt, pepper, and garlic.

    For Cooking: Cooking Spray

    separating the leg quarter from the chicken breast using a chef knife

    Kitchen Equipment

    • Pellet Grill: or any smoker or electric smoker. (air fryer and oven variations are available in the post)
    • Sharp Knife: Cut the whole chicken into halves with a sharp knife. This will also come in handy when it's time to slice and serve the chicken after cooking. Kitchen shears can and will also come in handy.
    • Wood Chips: You will need pellets to get that loved smoky flavor from the wood smoke! I used a blend of wood chunks. However, if you are looking for a specific flavor recommendation, maybe use or try a fruity wood or a couple of pecan wood chunks.
    • Digital Thermometer: Use a good digital meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to ensure your chicken is fully cooked.
    • DIY Dry Rub: Use your favorite rub or make your own using seasonings like black pepper, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and kosher salt.
    • Large Cutting Board: Make prepping and cutting up the meat easy with a quality and decently sized cutting board.
    • Plastic Container: Store your leftovers in an air-tight plastic container.
    seasoned raw half chicken on a black cafeteria tray

    How to Make Keto Smoked Chicken

    • Prep the smoker. Preheat the smoker to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels, then flip it so the breasts face the cutting board. Use the kitchen shears and cut just to the right of the backbone until the chicken is split. Then, remove the backbone by cutting down the opposite side of the bone. Pro-Tip: Save the backbone for stock.
    • Continue prepping the chicken. Now that the backbone is removed spread the chicken open. Find the wishbone on the back of the chicken. Make small cuts just to the outside of the wishbone, following along the ribcage to separate the breast and leg quarter.
    • Repeat for the other half of the chicken. Once the chicken is removed from the rib cage, cut the skin and fully separate the half chicken, then set aside. Repeat the process for the other half, leaving you with two semi-deboned chicken halves.
    • Season the chicken. Season the half chickens liberally on both sides with both seasoning blends, getting underneath the wings and on all the meat.
    • Smoke the chicken. Place the half chicken's skin on the pellet grill and smoke for about 2 hours at 300 degrees F.
    • Spray the chicken while cooking. Spray the chicken for 30-45 minutes with cooking oil for extra crispy, juicy skin.
    • Rest, slice, and serve! Once the chickens reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F., let them rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
    raw chicken cut in half seasoned with salt and pepper blend

    Recipe Notes

    The serving size for this perfectly cooked chicken is ¼ of the chicken. The leg quarter will be the juicer part of the meat and have a higher fat content than digging into the wing or the breast.

    The size of your chicken may affect the cooking time. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees to ensure it is done.

    smoked half chicken on a black plastic tray with parchment paper

    Smoked Half Chicken Cooking Tips and Variations

    Leftovers: Smoked Half Chicken makes some of the best chicken salad you will ever try. I have a grilled chicken salad recipe on my grilling website that can easily be made keto.

    Storage: Chicken refrigerates great in a sealed container for about 5 days making this a great meal prep option.

    Reheating: you can reheat the smoked half chicken in your oven or air fryer. I recommend spraying the outside with a little cooking spray and bake/air fry for about 15-20 minutes until hot.

    smoked chicken leg quarter

    Oven/ Air Fryer Cooking: Not everyone has a smoker, but you can still use this method to cook your half chickens. You can Roast the half Chickens at 375 Degrees F for about 90 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

    Soup and Stock: After trimming the chicken, make sure to keep the backbone and carcass. This makes fantastic stocks, gravy, and soups.

    Wood Pellets: I always prefer a blend of different would pellets. Fruitwoods like apple or cherry are great and hickory and oak are great for all-purpose smoking. The only wood I normally avoid is mesquite because it can be overpowering.

    separating cooked chicken into quarters

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why do you cut the chicken in half?

    Cutting the chicken in half helps the chicken cook evenly, making the meat juicer and more flavorful. Plus, it's much easier to serve.

    Is this method similar to Spatchcock Chicken?

    Yes, the idea is the same we are just taking it one step further by removing the entire cage of the bird so it's easier to eat and serve. The main goal is that the chicken cooks more evenly.

    Is Smoked Half Chicken Faster Than Spatchcocked Chicken?

    Not by much. Both methods take about 2 hours. I prefer the smoked half-chicken method only because there are fewer bones to mess with, and it produces a better final product.

    Can I use this method to Smoke Turkey?

    Definitely. This method is great for turkey especially when it comes time to carve the bird.

    How do you tell when chicken is fully cooked?

    I can't stress this enough: Always use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of your meats. This is to ensure that the food is cooked to a safe temperature and to ensure that it's juicy and tastes better.

    What is the Internal Temperature of Chicken?

    Chicken and turkey must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

    overhead view of smoked half chicken on a teak cutting board

    Dont forget to pin this recipe and share it with someone who loves Smoked Chicken.

    More Awesome Keto Recipes

    • Top 25 Keto Appetizers For Watching the Super Bowl
    • Smoked Salmon Cauliflower Mash
    • Keto Cajun Bacon Radishes
    • Top Keto Veggie Recipes
    • Keto Coconut Layer Cake

    separating cooked chicken into quarters

    Pellet Grill Smoked Half Chicken

    Culinary Lion
    This Keto Smoked Half Chicken will blow away any store-bought rotisserie chicken and once you see how easy it is you'll never go back
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 357 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pellet Grill or any smoker. (air fryer and oven variations available in post)
    • Kitchen Shears

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 lbs Whole Chicken
    • 2 tbsp Dan O's Seasoning or poultry seasoning
    • 1 tbsp Texas Rub Salt, Pepper, Garlic
    • Cooking Spray

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat Smoker to 300 Degrees F.
    • Pat the Chicken dry using paper towels then flip the chicken so the breasts are facing down on the cutting board. use the kitchen shears and cut just to the right of the back bone until the chicken is split. then remove the backbone by cutting down the oppisite side of the bone. Save the backone for stock.
    • Now that the backbone is removed spread the chicken open and find the wishbone on the back of the chicken make small cuts just to the outside of the wishbone following along the ribcage to seperate the breast and leg quarter.
    • Once the chicken is removed from the rib cage cut the skin and fully seperate the half chicken and set aside. Repeat the prosess for the other half so you are left with 2 semi deboned chicken halves
    • Season the half chickens on both sides liberally with both seasoning blends making sure to get underneath the wings and on all the meat.
    • Place Half Chickens skin side up on the pellet grill and smoke for about 2 hours at 300 degrees F.
    • Spray every 30-45 minutes with cooking oil for extra crispy juicy skin. Once chickens reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. let the chickens rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

    Notes

    Serving size ¼ chicken
    The leg Quarter will be juicer and have a higher fat content than the Wing/ Breast.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8ozCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 31gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1859mgPotassium: 323mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 281IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Chicken, smoked
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Nutrition Facts
    Pellet Grill Smoked Half Chicken
    Amount Per Serving (8 oz)
    Calories 357 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
    Monounsaturated Fat 10g
    Cholesterol 122mg41%
    Sodium 1859mg81%
    Potassium 323mg9%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 31g62%
    Vitamin A 281IU6%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 39mg4%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Frank

    Hey Everyone, My name is Frank Campanella. I've spent the last 20 years as a chef in restaurants throughout the mid Atlantic cooking everything from seafood and steak to classic pub grub. Now I'm taking all thoses recipes and giving them a low carb/ Keto facelift. I hope you love flavorful delicious food because that is the only recipe you will find here. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to sign up for the mailing list so you can get all the latest recipes.

    More about me →

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