The heat is absolutely the big ticket item here. I do chickens two ways.
One way is to simply crank out the Weber kettle grill, grill the chicken over direct heat, turning often, until the skin is nicely rendered and crisp, then move the pieces to the indirect side, and add some nice chunks of smokin' wood. Always gets great results.
Other way would be to do the same thing with the Weber, then move the chicken over to whatever other real smoker you like to use.
A third way, the "cheater way," would be to pan fry the chicken pieces in an iron skillet in about 1/2" of oil/grease (no, you don't flour the silly thing) until the skin gets rendered and crisp. Then outside to the smoker.
Lots of flavor whichever way, and solves the skin.
Yeah, I know, not exactly "two" ways, but what the heck...
Oh, yeah - the fourth way - do just like savageford did and cook super HNF. If it works inside in the oven, it'll work outside in the smoker.
