Smoked Orange Half Chicken
Serves: 4
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
Lots of recipes call for cooking chicken over high, intense heat (think: grilling, roasting, frying) — but smoking chicken takes the opposite approach. This technique is a much slower process over gentle, indirect heat, and the result is not only an unbelievably tender texture, but a delicious smoky flavor, as well. Try this method with Bell & Evans Half Chickens, which will cook faster than whole birds, marinated in a bright, juicy orange marinade with a warm spice profile. It’s a great dish to make on a weekend afternoon and serve for dinner that evening.
Ingredients
- 2 Bell & Evans Half Chickens
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 Orange, zested and juiced, plus orange wedges, for serving
- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
- 2 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Preparation
- Open the chicken packaging tray. Add oil, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, salt, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne to the tray. Massage the mixture into the chicken to cover completely. Allow to marinate refrigerated for 24 hours.
- Prepare a smoker with hickory chips. Smoke chicken at 250°F, brushing with vinegar mixture every 20 minutes, until chicken is deep golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve with orange wedges.
