Tender Smoked Chicken Breasts – Traeger Grill Recipe

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This Traeger chicken recipe is a simple way to get the most flavor out of your chicken breasts. Smoked and seasoned to perfection, you do not want to miss this recipe.

If there are three words to describe what chicken breast should be, it is smokey, tender and juicy. We want flavor in every bite – whether this chicken is eaten cold or warm. This Traeger chicken recipe will not disappoint!

With two seasonings (salt and pepper), this easy recipe combines dry brining the meat, smoking the chicken breasts on a wood pellet grill (preferably a Traeger smoker) and finishing them in the oven with with a little butter.

We eat this Traeger chicken breast recipe by itself, on salads and it is even the star of our sourdough BBQ chicken pizza recipe. The leftover chicken is even better the next day as it sits, making it ideal for easy meal prep. This is our go-to recipe to have cooked chicken throughout the week.

Ingredients for Trager Chicken Recipe

To make this Traeger chicken recipe, there are a few basic ingredients needed.

• Skinless chicken breasts (or spatchcock chicken, chicken thighs, chicken wings or a whole chicken)
• Salt (We prefer Kosher salt)
• Pepper (We love the black pepper from Costco – it’s not super spicy and is extremely budget friendly!)
• Salted Butter (To make this recipe over the top – go for the Kerry Gold butter)
• Smoker pellets (while not an ingredient for the chicken, it does impact overall flavor)
  • We have tried a variety of wood pellets from Traeger pellets and those sold at Costco. Our favorite smoker pellets are from Blain’s Farm and Fleet – specifically the Lumberjack brand! We love the hickory wood pellets because they have the best smokey flavor. They are inexpensive, last for an extended period of time and *knock on wood* do not catch the smoker on fire.

Kitchen Tools

This recipe only calls for three kitchen tools – a wood pellet grill (Traeger smoker), aluminum foil and a Sheet Pan. An optional kitchen tool is an instant read thermometer (temperature probe).

Grilling Timeline

Take this easy recipe and adjust the timeline depending on when you would like to eat your Traeger chicken. This timeline is for smoked chicken to be ready to eat by 6pm.

2:00 PM – Prepare chicken breasts. Remove any fat or excess skin and pat dry. Apply dry brine to chicken (salt) and allow to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 4 hours prior to cooking.

3:00 PM – Heat your pellet grill to the low temperature of 225 degrees. Remove chicken breasts from the refrigerator. At this time, the salt should have ‘disappeared’ into the chicken – aka they should be translucent. Next, apply a generous amount of black pepper to the chicken breasts.

3:15 PM – Once your smoker is heated, place chicken breast directly on the grill grates. While chicken is smoking, come inside to prepare foil packets. Cut one piece of aluminum foil and one slab of butter per piece of chicken.

Allow the chicken breast to cook until the chicken breast is a light golden brown color. It will temp on a thermometer probe above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, though not an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the key to juicy chicken! Depending on the size of your chicken breast, cooking time can vary. This can take anywhere from one to two hours.

4:30 PM – Next, pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F (Fahrenheit). Remove chicken from pellet smoker and place each chicken breast into individual foil packets. Place the breast face down and add the slab of butter on top. Fold sides (left / right) in first, then top and bottom to meet before rolling down to create an envelope. Place seam side down onto a lined sheet pan. Allow to finish in the oven until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (Fahrenheit).

6:00 PM – Allow chicken to rest on a clean plate for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What seasonings are good on smoked chicken?
The key to delicious smoked chicken is truly the way it is prepared. Additional flavoring or Traeger chicken rubs can include spices like onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar and even BBQ sauce or hot sauces. The flavor of wood pellets can also impact the smoky flavor of smoked chicken.

How long does it take to cook chicken on a Traeger grill?
This particular recipe calls for 1-1/2 to 2 hours on the Traeger smoker, however it is finished in the oven. If you cook the chicken at a higher temperature – I.E. 400+, the chicken will be cooked quicker and will taste less smoky and more like grilled chicken breast.

What is the internal temperature for properly cooked Traeger chicken?
Food safety guidelines recommend an internal temperature of 165 degrees Farenheit for chicken.

Can this recipe be used on other types of chicken?
Absolutely! While the cook time may change, this recipe is great for skinless chicken breasts, chicken wings, chicken thighs, spatchcock chicken and a whole chicken.

Does this smoked chicken recipe require a brine?
This smoked chicken recipe does not require a chicken brine- though the ‘dry rub’ could be viewed as the salt run. This is an essential step to give you juicy chicken.

Can you use olive oil instead of butter?
While we have not tested this, you certainly could swap olive oil or another form of fat for butter within this recipe.

What is your favorite way to enjoy smoked chicken? Share with us in the comments below!