Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

[Pa_BBQ]

I am determined to get some weight off and since I do not like fish, boneless chicken breast is going to be a huge part of my diet.

I buy the bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts from Sams and have been grilling them a few days worth at a time.

I want to mix it up a little and smoke a bag then refrig / freeze it to eat during the week.

If I smoke it at 225 how much time should I allow for it to finish. I realize its done when its done but need to have it finish in a window of time.

Also if you have any recipe's that would be great also.
Lately I have just been dusting with Yardbird.

[eddieh70301]

It will depend on the thickness. I suggest you butterfly them, then grill at 350. If you grill them, they are done in 10 minutes or so. I find they taste better grilled as opposed to smoked ones and they also tend to dry out when cooked too long. I did smoke some yesterday, wrapped in bacon and they were on my smoker for about 2 hrs at 250*. I pulled them at 165 IT and they were good but not tender enough for my liking.
Now the split breast with the skin is a different story. I prefer those smoked and then crisp the skin under the broiler. I usually just take off the skin and just eat the meat.
I know you are wanting to dump some lbs, so I'm not sure what the fat/calorie content would be if you cook with the skin on and remove before eating.
Just my .02.

[El Ropo]

I'd wrap the breasts in butter soaked cheesecloth, then smoke at a high temp, like 350. Since breasts are so lean, they tend to dry out, and turn rubbery with low 'n slow.

[Bigdog]

You also might want to grill some. I use mesquite charcoal and chips, throw on some chicken, sear, flip and baste with Dorothy Lynch's salad dressing, repeat a couple times, pull and serve with some Bashmati rice. Delicious and nutritous and reheats well. If you have a thermo pen, cook to 160 ish.

[Smoker101]

yes i agree smoke them hot..i do mine at 350-375 ish. i have done three whole birds and they turn out very well and juicy. i leave the skin on and then take off when it is time to eat. with the left over chicken i then chop it up and put it on a salad the next day or two.

[syndicate559]

I cook a lot of chicken breast. I've been buying fresh boneless/skinless out of the meat dept, but I've done the frozen bags plenty of times as well. Brining will help a lot. The ones out of the bags are usually pretty thin. If you don't want to brine, then I would suggest grilling hot and fast. If you find that there is a lot of difference in the thickness from the front to back of each piece, flattening them helps a lot with getting more uniform thickness and cook time. That way you don't have the super-dry-overcooked tips. Smoking works really well too, though. Chicken breast is pretty easy to tell by feel when it's done and you just want to get it as soon as it's done. It's pretty sensitive to overcooking, as many have already said. I also rub lightly with EVOO or canola, then sprinkle rub, or prepare a wet rub where I mix the rub into a paste with EVOO or canola and rub it on that way. Those steps also help lock some of the moisture in, I think.

[sullysQ]

2nd vote on the brining whether you smoke or grill them. Brining helps make reheating them better keeping them juicy. Has made grilled chicken reheated more bearable for lunch at work(thanks to this site).
Usually if gonna smoke chicken though I get a whole bird then throw away the skin before I pull it, smoked chicken on a salad is awesome.

[MG_NorCal]

I've done did lots of batches at 250 for about 1 hr in my vertical gas smoker.
I add water to the water pan and always brine or marinade the meat. A basting/mopping part way though will help.
Being small pieces I've found it hard to get a precise internal temp reading so I'd often slice into the thickest part of a piece and judge final done-ness based on appearance and feel.
Don't be afraid to set them all in a pan 3/4 of the way through the cook, this will prevent burnt ends, saves moisture and aids uniformity.

[powerpig]

I agree with the brining. I brine mine in Buttermilk and hot sauce overnight. Juicy everytime!

[RevZiLLa]

Try marinating for 2 to 4 hours in:

1/3 C champagne vinegar
Juice of one lemon
1 1/2 t Italian seasoning (marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc)
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 t black pepper
1/8 t ground cinnamon
a pinch of ground allspice
1/8 t sugar

add oils below after mixing above ingredients
1/4 C Olive oil
1/4 C vegetable oil

Use as a baste while grilling, but not during the second half of the cook unless you have reserved some unused, uncontaminated by meat, marinade. Finish with your favorite BBQ sauce...or not.

This is also a great Mediterranean marinade for shish-k-bob

[JD08]

I cut the breast in half lengthwise and wrap each half in a slice of thin bacon. The bacon is supposedly 60 calories pan fried, so I figure it's a little less grilled where the grease drips away. Since I only eat half, I figure it's about 300-350 calories.