When it comes to smoking meat in my backyard, chicken is probably the type of meat I stress out most behind brisket. If I screw up the temperature of the breasts, I’m going to have dry and unpleasant meat to serve. But chicken also has a very mild taste, so I want to make sure I’m using the best wood for smoking chicken to deliver great flavor.
And because I’m not going to be smoking chicken very long, I’m good with using stronger wood. That’s why I think oak is the best wood for smoking chicken. It’s going to give the chicken a traditional wood smoke flavor without it turning bitter from oversmoking.
When I’m smoking a whole chicken, I know I need to pay attention to the internal temperatures of both the breasts and the thighs. That’s part of what makes it a bit more stressful than smoking ribs or a pork butt. But I find that spatchcocking a whole chicken and smoking it with oak delivers the best chicken I can cook at home.
Why Oak Is The Best Wood For Smoking Chicken
The concern of using strong woods like oak, hickory, or mesquite is that you run the risk of oversmoking which turns food bitter. That’s not the experience I want to have. But because I can smoke a whole chicken in under three hours, I’ve never had that issue when using oak.
Instead, I get a tender and smoky chicken that’s better than any other method of cooking I’ve ever done. Sometimes simple is best, and oak is readily available and delivers traditional wood smoke flavor.
Alternative Wood Flavors For Smoking Chicken
If you’re concerned about having too much smoke flavor by using oak or want to pursue a different flavor profile rather than traditional wood smoke, there are plenty of options out there.
- Alder – While alder is classified as a hardwood, it’s the mildest of the non-fruitwood options out there. It’s perfect for all types of poultry, fish, and even vegetables. So if you’re looking for a savory but mildly-smoked chicken, alder is a great option.
- Cherry – If you want to have a more sweet end result when you’re smoking chicken, cherry is a good option. It’s not going to be overwhelmingly sweet, but it’ll give a nice flavor and also help develop a beautiful red color to your chicken.
- Pecan – If you want to have more of a smoke flavor but a different type of flavor than oak, pecan is a great option. It’s a stronger smoke flavor than alder or most of the fruitwoods, but it also adds a nuttiness. It can be a great option for a savory chicken.
What Kind Of Wood Do I Need For Smoking Chicken?
When it comes to smoking chicken, you need to know what flavor of wood you’re using. But you also want to use the right kind of wood for your grill or smoker. If you’re smoking chicken on an offset grill, load up on logs or wood splits. If you’ve got a bigger firebox, you can use logs. My small offset smoker is better suited to smaller splits.
You can smoke chicken on a charcoal or gas grill which can use either wood chunks or wood chips. Electric and propane smokers typically use wood chips. If you aren’t sure which is suited for your type of grill, check out the differences between wood chips and wood chunks for more information.
Finally, if you’re smoking chicken on a pellet grill like how I used the Z Grills 450B Pioneer for my whole smoked chicken recipe, you’ll want great wood pellets. Here at Angry BBQ, we love Bear Mountain BBQ pellets.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, the best wood for smoking chicken is oak. It gives me a traditional wood smoke flavor without completely overpowering the chicken.
But feel free to experiment. The goal is for you to make the best barbecue you can in your own backyard. And part of that is figuring out your favorite wood to use. So check out our handy wood chart below to help you in your journey.
