<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nCreating Your Chicken Rub<\/h2>\n\n\n\n I quite like the chicken rub that I have chosen for these Traeger smoked chicken breasts. I find that it perks up the mild flavor of the chicken without overpowering it completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, you are free to choose any spices or herbs that you like. For instance, if you like a smokier flavor, then you can add in some smoked paprika.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would advise you to stick with basics like the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting Your Chicken Rub to Stick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n One of the trickier elements of this smoked chicken recipe is trying to get the chicken rub to actually adhere to the chicken breasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why I tell you to apply a thin layer of mustard. Now, I know that this isn’t a flavor that everyone is fond of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you really don’t like mustard you can use olive oil. Here’s the thing, though, if you have dry brined your chicken breasts, then you have made a lot of effort to ensure that the surface of the breasts have dried out enough to get nice and crispy inside the pellet grill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Applying olive oil – or any oil – will undo this hard work. Therefore, I would recommend going with the mustard here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choosing Your Wood Pellets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The key to this smoked Traeger chicken breast recipe is to choose the right wood pellets for the job. This is how you get that perfect smoke flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are looking for something mild and sweet, then I would suggest using apple, cherry, maple, or pecan wood pellets. These will add a smoky flavor without overpowering the chicken flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In case you want to kick up the smoke flavor a notch, then choose oak wood pellets. This has a stronger smokiness to it but still will not overwhelm the smoked chicken breasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not a good idea to use either hickory or mesquite for this dish as they are incredibly strong. They may actually end up causing the smoked chicken breasts to be rather bitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken on the Traeger?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n As I already mentioned, chicken breasts can dry out rather easily. Due to this, it is important to go low and slow with this kind of meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I always stick with 225 degrees F – anything higher than this is going to compromise the texture of the meat. If you are cooking smaller chicken breasts you can choose to go a bit lower than this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Long Does It Take to Smoke Chicken Breast on the Grill?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The good news is that even at a lower temperature, your chicken breasts will still cook rather quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on the size of the breasts, the chicken may take a little more than an hour to cook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tracking the Internal Temperature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The only way to know for sure when your Traeger smoked chicken breasts are done is to keep track of the internal temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I have already said, chicken can dry out easily. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, you need to use a meat thermometer to track the smoking chicken breasts’ progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, it is done. So, you know the perfect moment to take the smoked chicken breasts out of the grill so that they don’t overcook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Place the probe in the thickest part of the largest smoked chicken breast. Make sure to keep the tip of the probe away from the bone or you will end up with a false reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just before you take the chicken breasts out of the grill, check the internal temperature of each chicken breast to make sure they are done.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nLetting the Chicken Breasts Rest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Yes, it is important to let the chicken rest before you serve it. As the chicken breasts are given the opportunity to cool down, the tissues relax, reabsorbing any liquid that has been lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This results in a more tender, juicy smoked chicken breast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Considering it should take no longer than 10 minutes, you really should not skip this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Storing the Smoked Chicken Breasts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Do you have leftover chicken breasts? Then, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They should be good for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to reheat the chicken breasts, you can do so on the stovetop, in the oven, or even on the grill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
1. What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken Breast on Pellet Grill?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The best smoking temperature for chicken breasts is 225 degrees F.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. How Long Does It Take to Smoke Chicken Breasts at 225?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n It should take you a little longer than an hour to smoke the breasts at this temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wrapping It Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n This is the ultimate guide to Traeger smoked chicken breast! f you want flavorful, juicy, and lightly crispy chicken, this is the recipe and guidelines to follow. Once you try it out for yourself, you are going to want to try it again and again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My family has always been a big fan of smoked chicken breasts. So, I grew up learning how to make this recipe by heart. If you have a Traeger grill and want to know how to recreate this recipe on your specific make and model, then here is your guide. Discover how to make smoked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4555"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4555"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18937,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4555\/revisions\/18937"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4555"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=4555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}