First Time Ever Smoking Chicken: Was Good!! (A Few Pics)

[tx smoker]

Back in the pre-Tracy era I used to grill chicken somewhat regularly. I didn't start smoking meat until after she and I got married. She's allergic to chicken and cannot eat it, therefore it's not on our regular menu rotation. She left yesterday morning to go out of town for a few days on a business trip. Her taillights hadn't even made it around the curve before I was headed to the store to get some breasts. Got a pack with two large breasts.

Seasoned them with some off-the-shelf poultry seasoning and a dose of black pepper and injected with Cajun Injector Turkey Gold

Set the Rec Tec at 225 to get a few hours of smoke on them while I went to my little pub

Three hours of smoke later, it's time to turn up the heat

All done. The IT got away from me by a couple degrees but pulled at 167. Gorgeous crusty skin. I'm happy thus far

Dinner plated with chicken, homemade 3-cheese mac & cheese, and fresh steamed spinach garnished with grated Parmesan

Although I've never smoked chicken before I've read enough here that I should be able to pull this off without a hitch, and I did. The skin was perfectly crispy and the juiciness was off the charts, and the flavor was outstanding!! I kid you not, when I stuck the fork into the breast the juice squirted me in the eye. It was deliciously dripping pure chicken goodness and I was thrilled. This breast was well over a pound and there was nothing left but a bone when I finished. I have the 2nd one in the fridge and need to figure out what to do with it today. I'm kinda wanting to do some scallops as posted by our friend @Bearcarver so maybe shred some of the chicken, toss it into a cheesy rice and broccoli mix, and grill some scallops. It's weird and unconventional but it may be good. I'm sure I'll think of something though. I still have 2 nights of bachelorhood so time is on my side for a couple of good meals that are beyond me when Tracy is here.

This was really good!!
Robert

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Excellent looking meal Robert! Sounds like you are really enjoying and getting some use out of your new grill. We usually eat chicken 2-3 times a week. Actually smoked up two whole birds yesterday will have to post it up later. Shred some of that leftover chicken for a quesadilla, make some smoked chicken salad, also makes great nachos and good on top of a leaf salad.

John

 

[Bearcarver]

Nice Looking Breasts you got there Robert!!
Like.
I gotta tell you though, if you're going to "do some Scallops as posted by Bearcarver", don't grill them! sautée them in Butter! That's still the best way for flavorful Scallops.

Bear

 

[sandyut]

that looks killer! Nice Job!

 

[civilsmoker]

looks tasty!

...I'll second Bear butter sauteed!

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Nice Looking Breasts you got there Robert!!

 

[Chasec5308]

Man thats some fine lookin grub. Nice job!

 

[Steve H]

Nice breasts! I'm with bear with the scallops, unless you're wrapping them with a bacon. Then I also cook em in a skillet with butter. Perhaps with a dusting of pan searing flour.

 

[xray]

Those chicken breasts look huge! Almost like they’re from a turkey.

I would have never known you haven’t smoked a chicken before (besides Tracys allergy)...but it looks like you’ve been smoking poultry your whole life...Definitely didn’t miss a beat since you’re grilling days.

I’m with SmokinVol John here, chicken salad is awesome using leftover smoked chicken.

Take some chicken, add a pickle and roughly pulse. Add mayo and black pepper and eat it with toasted wheat/rye or a pretzel bun.

A fancier chicken salad I like to make is mix the chicken, mayo and black pepper and then add fresh chopped dill and chopped red grapes.

Man, I want this now.

 

[SmokinAl]

Fantastic Robert!
Great looking meal!
Al

 

[tx smoker]

Excellent looking meal Robert! Sounds like you are really enjoying and getting some use out of your new grill. We usually eat chicken 2-3 times a week. Actually smoked up two whole birds yesterday will have to post it up later. Shred some of that leftover chicken for a quesadilla, make some smoked chicken salad, also makes great nachos and good on top of a leaf salad.

Great ideas and thank you for sharing them I actually did intend to do a quesadilla but time ran short so I just made myself a big, fat chicken sandwich last night. there's still a good amount of meat left on the second breast so the plan is to make a monster quesadilla tonight.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Nice Looking Breasts you got there Robert!!
Like.

Thank you sir on both counts....I think. Not too sure what to make of the breasts comment but trying to stay on topic and in bounds, I'll take it as a compliment

I gotta tell you though, if you're going to "do some Scallops as posted by Bearcarver", don't grill them! sautée them in Butter! That's still the best way for flavorful Scallops.

I stopped half a sentence short. What I meant was to put them in a pan (cast iron skillet) with lost of butter and cook them on the grill as opposed to actually grilling them. Sorry for the confusion. I tend to cook pretty much anything I can outside if it makes sense. A meal that requires a lot of ingredients may be done inside just for the sake of convenience but there just seems to be a flavor you get on a well seasoned grill that you don't get from a stove top.

Setting my record straight,
Robert

 

[tx smoker]

that looks killer! Nice Job!

looks tasty!

...I'll second Bear butter sauteed!

Thank you both very much!! Appreciate the commentary and kind words.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Aren't you the funny one....but I had to laugh. Thanks for a nice chuckle. I needed that with this nasty weather we're having.

Yep, had to laugh,
Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Man thats some fine lookin grub. Nice job!

Thank you...thank you very much!!

My Elvis impersonation,
Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Those chicken breasts look huge! Almost like they’re from a turkey.

yes sir, they are pretty good sized. I intentionally looked for the biggest ones I could find. The rationale being that I wanted to do multiple things with one cook.

I would have never known you haven’t smoked a chicken before (besides Tracys allergy)...but it looks like you’ve been smoking poultry your whole life...Definitely didn’t miss a beat since you’re grilling days.

I've done boneless skinless turkey breasts and a couple whole turkeys on the BGE but that's about it. this was new and very enjoyable....especially the eating part

I’m with SmokinVol John here, chicken salad is awesome using leftover smoked chicken.

I make turkey salad quite regularly for Tracy and I so got that part down....thank you though. If somehow time runs short again today I plan to do a chicken salad if the quesadilla idea does not pan out.

Opportunities still available,
Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Fantastic Robert!
Great looking meal!
Al

Thank you Al!! Very much appreciate the kind words and the LIKE. Got a batch of Cajun sausage on the Rec Tec right now, which is another first for the new grill. When it's all done, hopefully you'll like that too as they are llooking fantastic thus far!!

Robert

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank you sir on both counts....I think. Not too sure what to make of the breasts comment but trying to stay on topic and in bounds, I'll take it as a compliment



I stopped half a sentence short. What I meant was to put them in a pan (cast iron skillet) with lost of butter and cook them on the grill as opposed to actually grilling them. Sorry for the confusion. I tend to cook pretty much anything I can outside if it makes sense. A meal that requires a lot of ingredients may be done inside just for the sake of convenience but there just seems to be a flavor you get on a well seasoned grill that you don't get from a stove top.

Setting my record straight,
Robert

Thanks for that clarification, Robert.
The only time I ever put a pan on my grill was when we lost electric for 6 days during a Snow Storm.
As for the other---I wasn't even thinking about that, until after I posted it. I've always been a Leg Man, and I enjoy Chicken & Turkey Breasts more than any others, except maybe Duck, and all I ever had was Wild Duck, and the breasts were not that great.

Bear