Cooking Chicken Breast On Traeger

Tender, juicy Smoked Chicken Breasts with a homemade BBQ Dry Rub that are smoked to perfection. These chicken breasts are so easy to make and healthy. They make a great dinner paired with a vegetable, perfect for meal prep or topping a salad with! A great, easy smoker recipe that anyone can make even the most novice smoker.

White plate with a sliced smoked chicken breasts on it

How do juicy, smoked chicken breasts with a homemade BBQ Dry Rub sound? If you are nodding your head in agreement that they sound amazing then I have a treat for you today! These chicken breasts have a BBQ Dry Rub that's homemade, then they are smoked on a pellet grill. They are so juicy and delicious with tons of flavor.

If you are looking for an easy smoker recipe to get your feet wet in using your pellet grill or if you are looking for a smoker recipe that you can make quickly this is it!

A lot of pellet grill or smoker recipes require you to be round all day but this is one of the quicker recipes that we love!

Overhead Image of Smoked Chicken Breasts Ingredients

Ingredients Needed

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You'll want to pound these to about an even 1/2" thickness before smoking.
Olive Oil – This will keep that chicken breast nice and moist.
Seasoning – We use our homemade BBQ Chicken Rub that is amazing, but you can use your favorite seasoning!

That's it! These are such an easy recipe that you can make them any night of the week!

Basting brush putting olive oil on chicken breast

Hand putting seasoning on chicken breast

Steps to Prepare

Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. We used competition blend pellets in our pellet grill, but hickory, apple, pecan and maple would be great too!

Pound chicken breasts until they are about 1/2" thick. This will help them cook evenly. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it so the breasts is covered. Sprinkle on your dry rub and rub it around until the breasts are covered.

Place chicken breasts on smoker. Close pellet grill lid and cook at 250 degrees for about a hour or until chicken breasts reach 160 degrees F.

Remove, place on plate and tent with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes this will raise the temperature to 165 degrees F which is recommended cooking temperature

When you've mastered this recipe be sure to try Smoked Ribs next!

FAQs

What type of wood pellets should I use?

We used competition blend pellets in our pellet grill, but hickory, apple, pecan and maple would be great too!

What should the internal temperature of the chicken breast be?

The USDA recommends cooking chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. We pull these off the smoker at 160 F degrees, let them rest for 5 minutes which lets the internal temperature raise the 5 degrees while the juices redistribute to get you that juicy chicken breasts you want.

How long does it take to smoke a chicken breast?

This really depends on the size of your chicken breast. Ours were larger and they took about 1 hour. We recommend that you pound the chicken breast to even thickness about 1/2" to help them cook at the same rate. If you have one thin side and one thick side it's going to be done at different times which leads to dry, chew chicken.

How should I store leftovers?

Let the chicken breasts cool then store in an air tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Leftovers are great for meal prep, putting on salads and so much more!

Can I put BBQ Sauce on these?

Yes! During the last 10 minutes of smoking slather them with your favorite BBQ sauce. It will take 1/4 – 1/2 c. of BBQ sauce.

a fork with a piece of seasoned chicken breast

Make it a Meal!

Delicious charred Romaine from the grill that's perfectly crispy! This Grilled Caesar Salad is seasoned with salt and pepper then topped with Caesar Salad Dressing and Parmesan crisps.
Light, fluffy Baked Potatoes on the Grill with a crispy, seasoned skin is the best way to enjoy your baked potatoes during the summer!
The perfect sweet ending to any summer meal is a slice or two of Grilled Pineapple. Better yet, top a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it!

Tag me on Instagram when you make this @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling – love to see your delicious eats!!

Smoked Chicken Breasts Square cropped image

Smoked Chicken Breasts

Quick and easy Smoker Chicken Breasts that are tender and juiyc with a homemade dry rub.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Resting Time 5 mins

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 163 kcal

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp BBQ Chicken Rub

Preheat pellet grill to 250 degrees. We used competition blend pellets in the pellet grill.
Pound chicken breasts flat, about 1/2'' thick. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken breasts making sure to cover the front and back. Rub dry rub all over chicken breasts.
Place chicken breasts on smoker. Insert temperature probe into middle of chicken breasts. Close pellet grill lid and cook at 250 degrees for about 1 hour or until the chicken reaches 160 degrees F.
Remove from pellet grill, tent with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes.