Smoked chicken breasts

Chicken breasts are a great source of protein, and they're also incredibly tasty. For those watching their diet, baking or smoking chicken breasts is a better option than frying them in oil. Try tender chicken breasts smoked in aromatic seasonings.

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1:

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and lemon zest. Stir.

Step 2:

Place the chicken breasts in a clean bowl, pour maple syrup over them and coat them well.

Step 3:

Sprinkle the meat with the seasoning mixture, gently rub it into the meat on both sides and let it sit for 1 hour.

Step 4:

Fill the smoker with wood chips and light it.

Step 5:

Place meat on the grill, close the smoker and smoke for 1 hour at 107 degrees.

Step 6:

Place the breasts in a baking dish.

Step 7:

Place three cubes of butter on each breast.

Step 8:

Cover the pan with foil and cook in the smoker for half an hour at 107 degrees.

Step 9:

In a bowl, combine equal parts barbecue sauce and apple juice.

Step 10:

Soak the chicken in the mixture, place it on the grill and smoke for another half hour at the same temperature.

Step 11:

Drizzle the chicken with maple syrup, slice and serve.

Cooking tips

Maple syrup not only tenderizes the meat and enhances its flavor, but also prevents the seasonings from soaking into the breasts too much.

You can mix the spices in a blender – this way they will mix better and will not form lumps of sugar.

You can reduce the final cooking time to suit your taste. Experiment.