Steps

• 1

  Combine the brown sugar and the spices. Place the chicken pieces on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Gently lift off the skin on the breasts and thighs without pulling it off and rub a good amount of the spice mix over the meat. Replace and smooth the skin. Sprinkle the remaining spice rub on the bottom of the chicken pieces. Then turn the chicken skin side up and season lightly with additional salt. Let sit at room temperature while the Traeger heats.

• 2

  Preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 225°F; this will take about 15 minutes. Use Super Smoke if available.

  225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

  Super Smoke

• 3

  Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thickest breast avoiding bone. Smoke the chicken until the internal temperature is around 145°F, about 1 hour. (The chicken is not done at this point.)

  225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

  145 ˚F / 63 ˚C

  Super Smoke

• 4

  Increase the heat to 350°F and cook until the chicken is fork-tender with an internal temperature between 175°F and 180°F for the breast and between 190°F and 195°F for the thighs. (This is higher than usual but helps guarantee the meat will be tender.) This will take another 20 to 25 minutes; the time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces, the weather, and your grill.

  350 ˚F / 177 ˚C

  180 ˚F / 82 ˚C

• 5

  Let the chicken rest until cool enough to handle but still very warm, about 20 minutes. Carefully pour most of the juice on the baking sheet into a fat separator. Remove and discard the chicken skin. For a fast and easy way to shred the chicken, place chunks of the meat in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until shredded to your liking, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Alternatively, shred the chicken meat with your hands. Return some of the reserved juices to the chicken if you like and toss. Season smoked pulled chicken to taste with salt.

• 6

  Serve the chicken right away or portion and cover and refrigerate or freeze as you like. The chicken will keep a few days in the fridge and up to 2 months frozen. For pulled chicken sandwiches, toss the warm chicken meat with your favorite Traeger BBQ sauce and serve on soft burger buns topped with your favorite slaw and pickles if you like. Enjoy!