Smoked Orange and Herb Roasted Chicken

Roasting chicken in the oven is traditional, but you can also roast it on the pellet grill for an added layer of smokey flavor.

This dish combines the tastes of traditional roast chicken with a hint of barbecue flare and lovely crispy skin.

Orange and Herb Roasted Chicken on the Smoker

Because the entire bird is kept whole, this smoke-roasted chicken takes a little longer to cook than some of our other chicken dishes. If you want to save some time, try our Whole Spatchcock Chicken on a Pellet Grill recipe.

The idea is to season the chicken and infuse flavor from inside the cavity of the bird.

This chicken’s herb and orange flavors make it ideal for any holiday feast.

You may load the chicken with a variety of fruits, citrus, and herbs to enhance flavor from both the exterior and the inside.

How to make Smoked Orange and Herb Roasted Chicken

1. Prepping the chicken

The giblets may or may not be included in the cavity of the chicken, depending on where you get it. Before you begin, remove any giblets that may have remained within the bird.

The first thing to do is season your chicken. For this dish, I used a handmade combination of Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, but you may also use a store-bought SPG blend if you have one on hand.

Season the chicken well with the ingredients in a small bowl. Lift the wings and legs to season below, and add some spice within the cavity as well.

When the chicken has been seasoned, it is time to fill the cavity. Cut the orange in half and put it inside. It may be too tiny to put a complete orange inside depending on the size of your chicken and orange. Simply use half an orange in this situation. Then, within, place the rosemary and thyme sprigs.

Now, using toothpicks, pin the bird’s wings to the breast. This will keep the wings from overcooking and create for a more appealing display after the chicken is done cooking.

Tie the legs together securely with a little piece of butcher’s twine.

2. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and set the chicken straight on the grill grates.

This dish may be prepared on any kind of smoker or grill that can maintain a constant temperature of 275F to 300F.

I smoked this chicken at 275 degrees Fahrenheit with a smoke level of 5.

I used Bear Mountain Gourmet BBQ pellets as fuel. They feature a range of taste characteristics that mix well with chicken since they are a combination of oak, hickory, maple, and cherry.

3. Basting

As previously said, smoking a whole chicken that is still whole (as opposed to a spatchcock bird or chicken halves) takes a little longer, but the end product is well worth the wait.

I prefer to baste the chicken with a combination of butter, garlic, and herbs towards the conclusion of the cooking period.

Take a small pot. For this task, I prefer to use this Lodge tiny cast iron saucepan. It also includes a little basting brush, which is ideal for basting while cooking.

After approximately an hour of cooking, add your butter, garlic, and rosemary to the pot and set it on the grates of the smoker next to the chicken.

Then, every 30 minutes or so, baste the chicken with butter until it reaches 165F in the thickest section of the breast.

 4. Timing

Timing is dependent on the size of your chicken.

This chicken took 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest section of the breast, however birds may take longer or shorter depending on size.

That is why, while smoking chicken, I suggest using an instant read thermometer.

The ThermoPro Lightning probe appeals to me. It is ThermoPro’s newest thermometer, and it reads the temperature in less than one second. It is also waterproof and incredibly sturdy.

When your chicken reaches 165°F on the inside, remove it and set it aside for 10 to 15 minutes to rest.

You don’t need to rest the chicken for long, but it’s crucial to let it cool somewhat and redistribute the liquids in the flesh before cutting. This method produces the most delicate and juicy chicken.

Serve the chicken on a dish so that everyone may have their favorite bite.

What to serve with a smoked roast chicken

There aren’t many sides that don’t go well with chicken. Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to pair with Smoked Roast Chicken:

• Easy Smoked Mac & Cheese
• Bacon-wrapped Smoked Carrots
• The Best Pasta Salad for BBQ
• Ultra-Crispy Potato Wedges
• Smoked Green Bean Casserole

Another advantage of this chicken dish is that you can simply spice it up by adding a sauce.

I like to serve the chicken without sauce but provide it on the side for my guests to use if they so choose.

Here are some delicious sauces to go with our Smoked Roast Chicken:

• Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Alabama White Sauce
• Homemade Gravy