This easy recipe for Traeger smoked chicken breast (boneless) results in the most moist, tender juicy chicken thanks to a super simple 8-hour wet brine—that consists of apple juice, water and kosher salt—plus homemade dry rub! Serve the smoked chicken with grilled onions or sautéed vegetables, or slice it up and serve it over a simple green salad.
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Do you love juicy chicken breasts? Because I do, and I absolutely refuse to eat a dry chicken breast.
Ever since my family bought our Traeger in 2019, we’ve been obsessed with smoking meat on it.
From quick Traeger grilled salmon to smoked Traeger skirt steak, we’ve tried just about everything – as evidenced by the growing grilling recipe collection on this site. We even use it to make our Thanksgiving Smoked Turkey (or just a smoked Traeger bone-in turkey breast if we’re feeding a smaller crowd).
But this chicken breast is one of our favorites.
This recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken breast every time so you don’t have worry about having to eat dusty, dry chicken.
Of course, you could always make this recipe on a different type of wood or electric smoker. Just follow the instructions as written and be sure and check the internal temperature of the meat to see when it’s done.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It uses a simple brine – just water, apple juice, and kosher salt.
- The bbq rub is super easy to make and consists of spices you likely already have in your cabinet.
- The chicken has a great flavor that pairs well with veggies or in a salad.
- This recipe is not only gluten and dairy free, but also paleo and Whole30 compatible – which means there’s no brown sugar (which is commonly used in rubs).
- MOST IMPORTANTLY – the breast meat does NOT dry out. This recipe gives you moist chicken breast, which is exactly what you want.
Grab these ingredients!
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
The ingredient list is broken down into two categories – what you’ll need to brine the chicken breast, and then what you need to smoke the chicken breast.
You won’t consume the brining solution, other than some of the salt that gets pulled into the chicken. When you’re done brining the chicken, you can pour the solution down the drain.
For the Brining Solution
- Apple juice – I like to use one without added sugar, but use whatever you can find;
- Water – tap water is fine here; and
- Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal brand as it’s less salty by weight than other kosher salts. If you have a different kind, use this chart from Epicurious to convert the measurements.
For the Smoked Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – about 1 pound total, or 2 small breasts;
- Spices – smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, & more Diamond Crystal kosher salt; and
- Oil – I use avocado oil, but olive oil works as well.
Making Traeger smoked boneless chicken breast
There are two main steps to this smoked chicken breast recipe.
- First, the brining – you want to make the wet brine and get the chicken breasts into it.
- Second, the smoking – after the chicken breasts have finished brining, you’ll season them with the homemade spice rub and smoke them on the Traeger.
How to wet brine chicken breast
Making a wet brine is simple – you just need your liquid and some salt. In this case, we’re using a combination of water and apple juice with kosher salt.
How to smoke boneless chicken breast on a Traeger
Once the chicken is finished brining, move on to preheating your smoker or wood pellet grill and prepping the chicken breasts.
How long to cook chicken breasts on a Traeger
You may have noticed that I don’t state a cook time in this recipe, just that you need to cook your breasts to about 165 degrees F.
This is on purpose. While I can give you an estimate (it’s coming), it’s really going to come down to factors like how thick your chicken breasts are and what the outside temperature is like when you’re smoking your meat.
That said, you can expect it to take roughly 1.5 hours to cook two medium-sized chicken breasts on a Traeger.
Start checking them after 45 minutes to get an idea of their internal temperature, then check again every 10 to 15 minutes after that so you can pull them off the smoker once they hit between 160F and 165F internally.
We LOVE our Thermoworks Thermapen ONE meat thermometer to quickly and easily check the internal temperatures of meats. We’ve used a Thermapen for years and they are AMAZING. Get one for yourself here.
What to serve with smoked chicken breast
Luckily smoked chicken breast goes great with a lot of different foods. If you need ideas, here are some of my family’s favorites.
- coleslaw (like my pineapple coleslaw recipe or apple broccoli slaw)
- grilled veggies (like these grilled bell peppers, onions, or zucchini)
- grilled fruit (like these easy grilled peaches)
- rice (white, brown, or cauliflower)
- a green salad
- a summer salad (like this corn avocado tomato salad)
These are just some examples – for even more, look at this post of side dishes for grilled chicken!
FAQs for smoking chicken breast
If you’re smoking chicken breast for the first time it can be a little intimidating. Read through these FAQs to get some of the most common questions answered.
Why do you brine chicken breast?
You brine chicken breast so that it doesn’t dry out when it’s cooking. Brining helps retain moisture and keeps the chicken juicy.
What wood works best with smoked chicken?
Pretty much any wood works well when smoking chicken, depending on the flavor you’re going for. Lighter woods like apple or pecan work great for lighter flavors. If you want a heavier smoky flavor try using hickory or mesquite. We like to use the Traeger Signature wood pellet blend as it works for so many different types of protein.
When is smoked chicken breast done?
Smoked chicken breast is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. I like to take it off the grill around 160 degrees F as it will tend to cook the rest of the way as it rests.
How long will smoked chicken breast keep in the fridge?
Smoked chicken breast will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days as long as it’s in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
Can you freeze Traeger smoked chicken?
Yes, you can freeze smoked chicken. To see the best way to do this, visit this resource for freezing chicken.
Recipe tips and substitutions
- You can brine the chicken with just water and salt if you don’t have apple juice. The flavor might be very slightly different but it will still taste great.
- Switch up the seasoning a little. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular. You can also add up to ¼ tsp of either cayenne pepper or ground chipotle powder to give the pork a spicier kick.
- Check your hopper! You want to look and see if you have enough wood pellets (or wood chips depending on if you’re using a Traeger grill or other smoker). You don’t want to run out of wood while the chicken is cooking.
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If you make end up making these Traeger chicken breasts, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Juicy Wet-Brined Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast
Equipment
- A large container
- A temperature probe or meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken 2 breasts
- 1 tsp avocado oil
Brine
- 1.5 c apple juice
- 1.5 c water
- 2 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Seasoning Rub
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp mustard powder
Instructions
- Select a container that will fit the chicken and brine mixture but not be too big. Measure out the apple juice and water with a measuring cup and pour both into the container. Measure out the salt with a measuring cup and pour it into the juice mixture.
- Stir the salt into the juice mixture with a whisk until it is completely dissolved (1 to 2 minutes), then put the chicken in. Make sure the chicken breasts are covered by the brine. Cover the container (with a lid if you have one, or plastic wrap) and put it in the fridge for 7.5 hours.
- Remove the container from the fridge and dump out the brine mixture 30 minutes before you plan to put the chicken on the grill. This helps warm the chicken slightly so it will cook more evenly. Place the chicken on a cutting board and remove any excess liquid with a paper towel. Set aside.
- Now is the time to get your Traeger (or other wood pellet grill or smoker) started up. Make sure there are pellets or wood in it and set it to 250 degrees F.
- Measure out the seasonings with measuring spoons into a small bowl. Stir together with one of the measuring spoons then set aside briefly. Measure out the oil and pour over the chicken breasts, then rub it over the chicken with your hands until they are well covered.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning on one side of the breasts and rub it in, then flip them over and sprinkle the other half of the seasoning and rub that in. Make sure the chicken is well covered with seasoning.
- Place your chicken on the Traeger using a pair of tongs or other utensil. If you have it, place a temperature probe into the thickest portion of one of the chicken breast (usually there is a thicker end). Set the probe to 160 degrees F. If you don’t have a temperature probe, check the chicken with a meat thermometer (we love our Thermapen) after 45 minutes to see where it’s at, then check again every 10 to 15 minutes and pull them once they reach between 160 and 165 degrees F.
- Once the breasts are done smoking pull them off the Traeger and onto a clean cutting board. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Check which salt you’re using. This recipe specifically uses Diamond Krystal kosher salt. If you’re using a different type of salt, check out this article on salt types and measurements.
- You can brine the chicken with just water and salt if you don’t have apple juice. The flavor might be very slightly different but it will still taste great.
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- Check your hopper! You want to look and see if you have enough wood pellets (or wood chips depending on if you’re using a Traeger grill or other smoker). You don’t want to run out of wood while the chicken is cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken. You can either do this with a temperature probe (if your grill comes with one) or use a hand held meat thermometer. We’ve had a Thermapen for years and love it (affiliate link). If you aren’t familiar with them, see this post on how to use a meat thermometer.
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