Quick Answer
Yes, you can put frozen chicken in an electric smoker. While it’s best to thaw chicken before smoking for food safety and even cooking, you can smoke frozen chicken as long as you follow a few guidelines:
- Use a digital electric smoker with precise temperature controls.
- Cook at a lower temperature, around 225-250°F.
- Smoke for significantly longer, up to 1.5 times as long as thawed chicken.
- Smoke bone-in pieces rather than boneless.
- Monitor the internal temperature and cook until it reaches 165°F.
- Keep the smoker’s water pan full to help evenly distribute heat.
With the right techniques, smoking frozen chicken in an electric smoker is possible. The low, indirect heat helps thaw and cook the chicken through without drying it out. While less convenient than smoking thawed chicken, it can be done when needed.
Should You Smoke Frozen Chicken?
While it’s possible to smoke frozen chicken in an electric smoker, it’s generally not recommended. Here are some downsides to consider:
- It takes significantly longer to smoke frozen chicken compared to thawed.
- The chicken may cook unevenly since the outside thaws first.
- Smoke absorption into the chicken may be uneven.
- The skin may not get as crispy since it thaws slower.
- Food safety risks are higher with frozen chicken.
- Results can be less consistent and predictable.
For best results, fully thawing chicken in the refrigerator before smoking is preferable. The chicken will cook more evenly throughout and absorb more smoke flavor.
However, smoking frozen chicken can work in a pinch if you don’t have time to safely thaw. Follow the guidelines carefully to help mitigate the downsides.
Food Safety with Frozen Chicken
When smoking frozen chicken, be especially diligent with food safety:
- Don’t let the frozen chicken sit out at room temperature before smoking.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness (165°F).
- Refrigerate any leftover smoked frozen chicken within 2 hours.
- Discard any chicken that was below 40°F for over 2 hours.
- Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces that touched raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination.
The cold temperatures of frozen chicken do not kill bacteria like Salmonella. Take care to prevent foodborne illness.
Tips for Smoking Frozen Chicken in an Electric Smoker
Follow these tips to help ensure safe and tasty results when smoking frozen chicken:
1. Use a Digital Electric Smoker
Look for an electric smoker with digital controls that allow you to precisely set and maintain a low temperature like 225-250°F. This temperature range is ideal for gently thawing and cooking frozen chicken without overcooking or drying it out.
Models from brands like Masterbuilt, Bradley, and Char-Broil offer good digital temperature control. Avoid old-fashioned analog electric smokers as they lack precision.
2. Choose Bone-In Chicken Pieces
Chicken thighs, drumsticks, wings, and bone-in breasts hold up better to long, slow smoking from frozen than boneless cuts. The bones help retain moisture and prevent the meat from drying out as it slowly thaws.
Whole chickens or chicken quarters are ideal choices for smoking from frozen. Avoid boneless skinless breasts which are prone to overcooking.
3. Use a Lower Smoking Temperature
Set your electric smoker to 225-250°F, significantly lower than the usual 275-300°F for thawed chicken. The gentle heat will gradually thaw the chicken without cooking the outside too fast.
Maintain this low temperature throughout the entire smoking time for even cooking. Higher heat risks overcooking the outer portions before the inside thaws.
4. Smoke for Significantly Longer
In general, frozen chicken takes about 1.5 times as long to smoke as thawed chicken. A good rule of thumb is to smoke frozen chicken for around 1.25-1.5 hours per pound.
For example, smoke frozen chicken quarters or a whole chicken (around 4-5 lbs) for 5-7 hours total until fully cooked.
Refer to smoker guide times but extend the times to account for the frozen state. Monitor closely and check internal temperature.
5. Use a Meat Thermometer
An instant read digital thermometer is vital for smoking frozen chicken. Without one, it’s extremely difficult to determine when the center has thawed and reached a safe final temperature.
Check the temperature periodically once the estimated time is up. Smoke until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
6. Keep the Water Pan Full
Having a full water pan in your electric smoker helps regulate temperature fluctuations and distribute heat evenly. This is essential when smoking frozen chicken to prevent hot and cold spots.
Refill the water pan regularly as needed to replace evaporating water. Use hot water or steam to speed thawing if desired.
7. Don’t Rely on Appearance
Unlike smoked thawed chicken, smoked frozen chicken won’t necessarily turn dark golden brown or look perfectly done on the outside when finished. The skin and outer portion thaw slower.
Rely on hitting the target internal temperature rather than appearance to determine doneness. The chicken may not look perfectly smoked, but will taste delicious.
Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Settings for Frozen Chicken
Masterbuilt makes some of the most popular electric smokers on the market. Here are recommended temperature and time guidelines when smoking frozen chicken in a Masterbuilt electric smoker:
| Frozen Chicken Cut | Smoker Temperature | Approximate Smoking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken quarters or whole chicken (4-5 lbs) | 225-250°F | 5-7 hours |
| Chicken thighs or drumsticks (bone-in) | 225-250°F | 4-6 hours |
| Chicken wings | 225-250°F | 3-4 hours |
| Boneless chicken breasts | 225-250°F | 1.5-2.5 hours |
Always use a meat thermometer for doneness, not just time. Add smoker wood chips or chunks to generate smoke flavor.
Bradley Electric Smoker Tips for Frozen Chicken
Bradley electric smokers are also popular for their automatic bisquette feeding system. Here are some Bradley smoker tips for frozen chicken:
– Use Bradley’s lowest setting, 160°F, to slowly thaw and warm frozen chicken.
– Load the cold smoker attachment with bisquettes to produce smoke at low temps.
– For final cooking, increase temperature to 225-250°F once chicken has warmed.
– Insert optional meat probe and monitor internal temperature to 175°F.
– Expect total smoking times around 1.25-1.5 hours per pound.
– Add water or steam to the Foil Pouch to help thaw and cook chicken evenly.
The Bradley smoker’s set-and-forget design makes it convenient for smoking frozen chicken over long periods.
Troubleshooting Smoked Frozen Chicken
Follow these tips if you experience any issues while smoking frozen chicken:
Chicken is taking too long to thaw and cook
– Increase smoker temperature to 250°F.
– Use hot water in water pan instead of cold.
– Switch to smaller chicken pieces like wings or boneless breasts.
Chicken skin is not getting crispy
– Rub skin with baking powder or oil before smoking.
– Place chicken on the top smoking rack closest to the heat.
– Finish chicken under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Chicken has an off-flavor or is too salty
– Make sure to thaw chicken fully before smoking.
– Reduce or eliminate salt from any rub or marinade.
– Switch to a milder wood type like apple or maple.
Inside of chicken is raw or pink
– Increase cooking time and check temperature more frequently.
– Raise smoker temperature to 250°F.
– Cut into smaller pieces if smoking a whole chicken.
Conclusion
While smoking fully thawed chicken is ideal, frozen chicken can also be smoked in an electric smoker with some patience and care. The keys are using a precise digital electric smoker, maintaining a low smoking temperature, increasing cook times, and monitoring internal temperature. Refer to the tips and guidelines to help ensure safe and properly smoked frozen chicken. With the right technique, you can successfully smoke frozen chicken when needed.