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Applewood smoked BBQ spatchcock chicken with grilled Cajun Parmesan potatoes and charred green onions on a white tray

Smoked Spatchcock Chicken with Cajun Parmesan Potatoes

A whole chicken spatchcocked and smoked over applewood at 300°F to 350°F, glazed with BBQ sauce at 150°F and pulled at 165°F. Grilled Cajun Parmesan potatoes cook on the same fire at the same temperature.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Rest Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

BBQ Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken About 4 to 5 lbs.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 1 to 2 tbsp, as a binder.
  • 2 tbsp your favorite poultry seasoning 2 to 3 tbsp. Or use 1 tbsp each kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
  • 0.5 cup your favorite BBQ sauce 1/2 to 1 cup.
  • Applewood For smoking.
Grilled Cajun Parmesan Potatoes
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes Cut into 1/4 inch rounds.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 1 to 2 tbsp, as a binder.
  • 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning 1 to 2 tbsp, to taste.
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 to 1/2 cup. The shaker kind works.

Equipment

  • Smoker Running at 300°F to 350°F with applewood.
  • Sharp kitchen shears Strong ones. This is what removes the backbone.
  • Instant read or wireless thermometer A wireless one saves you opening the smoker.
  • Basting brush For the BBQ glaze.
  • Mixing Bowl For tossing the potatoes.

Method
 

Spatchcock and Season
  1. Place the chicken breast side down. Using strong kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it.
  2. Flip the chicken over so the breast faces up. Press firmly down on the breastbone until it cracks and the chicken lays flat.
  3. Pat the chicken dry. Rub olive oil evenly over the skin and the back, then season generously with poultry seasoning, or salt, pepper and garlic.
Smoke and Glaze
  1. Preheat your smoker to 300°F to 350°F with applewood. Place the chicken flat, skin side up, and put a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
  2. Smoke until the chicken reaches about 150°F internal.
  3. Brush it generously all over with BBQ sauce. Do not sauce earlier than this, or the sugar in it will burn over the length of the cook.
  4. Continue cooking until the thickest part reaches 165°F and the sauce has set into a sticky glaze. Remove and rest 10 minutes before carving.
Grilled Cajun Parmesan Potatoes
  1. With about 40 minutes left on the chicken, cut the potatoes into approximately 1/4 inch rounds. Toss them in olive oil and season generously with Cajun seasoning.
  2. Place the slices directly on the grill at the same 300°F to 350°F. Cook 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway, until the edges are crispy and browned.
  3. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan before pulling them off. They are done when the edges are crispy and the centers are tender. If they are not quite there when the chicken comes off, leave them on while it rests.

Notes

Why spatchcock: Flattening the bird puts it at roughly one thickness, so the breast and thighs finish together instead of the breast drying out while the dark meat catches up. It also faces all the skin up into the heat and cuts the cook time significantly.
Glaze at 150°F, not before: BBQ sauce is mostly sugar. Applied at the start it sits over heat for the better part of an hour and goes black. At 150°F you are about ten minutes out, which is enough for it to set and not enough for it to burn.
Quarter inch on the potatoes: Thinner and they burn, thicker and the centers will not soften in time.
Use a thermometer: A wireless one means you are not opening the smoker every ten minutes.
Timing: Times are estimates and vary with the size of your bird. The 300°F to 350°F, 150°F glaze point, 165°F finish, 30 to 35 minute potatoes and 10 minute rest are as given.

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