Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts {225 F, Boneless, Skinless and Delicious!}
I used to think that boneless, skinless chicken breasts were one of the most boring meats you could put on a smoker. It turns out that the blandness of the meat makes a chicken breast a perfect blank canvas for soaking up bold flavor profiles.
As long as you are careful not to overcook the breasts they will turn out tender, juicy and delicious. Here is one way of smoking chicken breasts on a Traeger that I think you will enjoy!
Prepare the Chicken Breasts for the Traeger
Getting the chicken breasts ready for the grill is pretty simple and only requires seasoning them with a dry rub and waiting a few minutes. I was working with a pair of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that each weighed a little over a pound.
Season the Chicken with Traeger’s Citrus Black Pepper Chicken Rub
Rub both sides of the chicken with olive oil and then liberally coat with Traeger’s Citrus Black Pepper Chicken Rub. If you don’t have this rub on hand then here is the ingredient list so you can whip up a batch of something similar:
Traeger Chicken Rub Ingredients
- Cane Sugar
- Salt
- “Spices (Including Black Pepper)”
- Orange Peel
- Lemon Peel
- Paprika
- Onion
- Citric Acid
- Chili Pepper
- Sunflower Oil
This rub has a strong orange flavor followed by a twang of citric acid. After the citrus plays out you get a little salty sweet and a spicy heat note that lingers for a while.
After the chicken has been seasoned let it rest for 15-20 minutes so the rub can start working its way into the meat.
Choosing Wood Pellets
I was burning Traeger Signature Blend pellets that I got the at Home Depot. These pellets are a blend of cherry, hickory and other hardwoods.
This blend gives a nice balance of smoke flavor. Feel free to use your favorite pellets if all you don’t have the Signature blend. Hickory or apple would both be great choices here.
Set Your Traeger to 225F for Smoking
Start your grill, set the temperature to 225F and place the chicken on the grate. If your Traeger has Super Smoke mode then now would be a great time to use it.
If your Traeger does not have Super Smoke Mode then you can check out this article on how to get more smoke flavor from a Traeger.
Close the lid and let the breast cook for an hour. At this point the meat should have an internal temperature of about 130F but the exact temperature is not critical at this point because they still need to cook a bit longer.
Baste with Sauce and Finish Smoking
After the breasts have smoked for an hour it is time to apply the last layer of flavor by basting them with Traeger’s Sweet and Heat barbecue sauce.
After the sauce is applied, close the lid and let the chicken cook for about another 15-30 minutes until an internal temperature of 160F is reached.
How Did the Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts Turn Out?
These might have been the best chicken breasts that I have ever smoked!
The chicken was smoky, tender and juicy. The flavor combination of Traeger’s Chicken Rub with their Sweet and Heat barbecue sauce is an absolute winner. Lots of sweet, but not like candy, and just enough heat to make things interesting.
This is a quick and easy dinner that you can whip out on your Traeger and come out looking pretty good!
If you want more ideas on how to cook chicken on a Traeger then check out these other recipes:
Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 pound each
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Traeger Chicken Rub
- 3 tbsp Traeger Sweet and Heat Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- Coat the chicken breasts with olive oil
- Season the breasts with Traeger's Chicken Rub
- Turn on your Traeger and set the temperature to 225F
- Place the chicken on the smoker and cook for one hour.
- Baste the chicken with Traeger's Sweet and Heat barbecue sauce
- Continue cooking the chicken for 15-30 minutes until an internal temperature of 160F is reached.
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