Ace Kickstart Smoked Chicken Breasts.
Coat your chicken heavy with Ace Kickstart®, smoke it low-and-slow, and watch the seasoning punch straight through the meat
Coat your chicken heavy with Ace Kickstart®, smoke it low-and-slow, and watch the seasoning punch straight through the meat
Ingredients
For the smoked chicken
- 4 chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- Ace Kickstart®
Method
-
01
Oil and season the chicken
5 minToss your chicken breasts with about a teaspoon of avocado oil until all surfaces are lightly coated—oil helps the seasoning stick and keeps the meat from drying out. Lay them on a sheet, dust generously with Ace Kickstart® on one side, flip with tongs, and season the other side heavy so that rub punches through when the smoke hits it.
-
02
Smoke low and slow
90 minStart your smoker at 160°F and hold it there for an hour to let the meat absorb smoke flavor without racing past juicy. Then crank it to 300°F and let it climb until your breasts hit 155°F internal temp—this two-step approach keeps them tender and seasoned all the way through.
-
03
Rest and serve
5 minPull the chicken off and let it sit for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute instead of running all over your plate. Slice and dig in—you'll see that seasoning crust is locked in and the meat stays moist.
From Mike's Notebook
Bone-in breasts stay juicier than boneless, even though they take five minutes longer to smoke.
Don't oil the chicken until right before smoking — wet seasoning pulls flavors off the surface.
Pull them at 165°F internal temp, not 170°F; carryover heat finishes the cook without drying meat out.