Smoked chicken breast in the oven

Q: Can I smoke chicken without a smoker?

Heres how to do it: Season the cuts of meat with a good coating of salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Place the meat on the grill over high heat until the outside is nice and charred. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan and bake at 250 F for four to five hours until its fork tender.

Don't worry about grilling outside, these oven smoked chicken breasts are off the charts delicious and done indoors in your oven!

I love smoked chicken and during those rainy days or colder winter months, I still want that smokey grilled flavor on my chicken, and this recipe is the best alternative.

The chicken is lightly seasoned, seared on both sides in a little apple juice.

Then finished in the oven with some liquid smoked, some freshly chopped herbs, and baked to perfection.

If you love the taste of smoked foods this is an easy chicken recipe everyone raves about.

We love fall side dishes you may find some of the ones you in my roundup of Holiday Side Dishes and 30 Delicious Appetizers Recipes.

There are some tips and suggestions to follow so read those also before starting the recipe that will help to make it even more super simple to get that outdoor flavor.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe.

Índice Show

Grilled, Baked, Air Fried or Slow Cooker
Other Tips and Additions:
Ingredients You Will Need (scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements
More Recipes To Try:
Other Cooking Methods:
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The Best Indoor Barbecue
Oven Smoked Crusted Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:
Instructions:
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More Recipes To Try
Can I smoke chicken without a smoker?
Can you finish a smoked chicken in the oven?
How do you cook a chicken that is already smoked?
Is smoked chicken breast fully cooked?

Grilled, Baked, Air Fried or Slow Cooker

This chicken can still be made grilled outside, air fried, or even smoked in an electric smoker.

I prefer (for inside cooking) to sear the chicken breasts on both sides then bake it to seal in the juices but you can even air fry this chicken if you prefer after it's coated with the seasonings.

I will give you all those instructions right in my other cooking methods list.

This smoked flavored baked chicken is like having an inside barbecue and you can do it all year long come rain or shine!

Other Tips and Additions:

mushrooms sliced
sauteed onions
add sliced peppers
make a spicy Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce for dipping
Cowboy Beans make a great side dish
Don't over sear the chicken just brown lightly on each side
sliced thin chicken leftovers are great in a sandwich
taste and season it accordingly with more or less heat with listed seasonings
If the chicken juices start to dry out while baking add more apple juice
for a sweeter juice add 1 tablespoon molasses

Ingredients You Will Need (scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements

boneless whole chicken breasts
hickory liquid smoke
smoked paprika
Worcestershire sauce
chili powder
dried oregano
fresh parsley chopped
granulated garlic powder
apple juice
butter or vegetable oil
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

More Recipes To Try:

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Italian Baked Chicken

Baked Chicken Lemon Cutlets

Other Cooking Methods:

For Air Fryer: omit the apple juice mixture when frying and use this to marinate the chicken for 3 hours. Shake the chicken into the seasoning before air frying on 400 degrees for 15 minutes, cook longer if the chicken has any pink left inside
For Outdoor Smokers: place on 275 degree preheated smoker using hickory flavored chips, omit the liquid smoke however use the apple juice and sauce in the pan while smoking. The chicken will take around 1 hour loosely covered.
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot: Sear first as directed, add the juice increasing 1/4 cup more, and slow cook 4 to 6 hours on low heat.

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The Best Indoor Barbecue

Now you will be on your way to having your picnic indoors all year long.

This chicken is great on top of salads, with any picnic side dishes and it's super juicy and delicious.

The recipe is super simple and easily doubles with just adding more chicken and ingredients so adjust to your family's size.

Don't be afraid to season it more or less of how you like it, sometimes I put lots more granulated garlic and everyone loves cayenne pepper here!

Oven Smoked Crusted Chicken Breasts

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 HourTotal time: 45 H & 10 M

This is a recipe for an indoor smoke flavored chicken breast using liquid smoke. Rain or shine you can still have delicious smoked foods using a few simple seasonings and baked, air fry indoors all year long. This is an easy delicious recipe and so basic you can use any meats you like.

Ingredients:

4 boneless whole chicken breasts
4 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup of apple juice or beer plus 1/4 cup
3 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
Optional Additions:
Sliced peppers, mushrooms, sliced onions

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts in a plastic ziplock bag and add all the spices and shake them to coat both sides.
In a small bowl mix the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, all herbs, and 2/3 cup of apple juice mix together.
In a cast-iron grill pan or skillet melt the butter adding 1/4 cup apple juice and sear the chicken on each side until browned.
Place the chicken in an oiled sprayed casserole dish scraping off the bits off the bottom of the pan.
If using other vegetables add them in the pan.
Pour the liquid smoke mixture over the top of the chicken and bake the chicken for 45 minutes on 350 degrees or until the juices run clear when cut open.
For Air Fryer: omit the apple juice mixture when frying and use this to marinate the chicken for 3 hours. Shake the chicken into the seasoning before air frying on 400 degrees for 15 minutes, cook longer if the chicken has any pink left inside.
For Outdoor Smokers: place on 275 degree preheated smoker using hickory flavored chips, omit the liquid smoke however use the apple juice and sauce in the pan while smoking. The chicken will take around 1 hour loosely covered.
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot: Sear first as directed, add the juice increasing 1/4 cup more, and slow cook 4 to 6 hours on low heat.

indoor smoked chicken, oven smoked chicken breasts, easy smoked baked chicken breasts

meat recipes, chicken recipes, baked chicken recipes, smoked chicken

Cajun, Italian, American

Pin for later

More Recipes To Try

Baked Italian Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings Roundup

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2020.

Can I smoke chicken without a smoker?

Here's how to do it: Season the cuts of meat with a good coating of salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Place the meat on the grill over high heat until the outside is nice and charred. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan and bake at 250 F for four to five hours until it's fork tender.

Can you finish a smoked chicken in the oven?

For a crispier skin, take out of the smoker when the internal temperature is at 145°F and move to the oven, where it can cook on 350°F for about half an hour, or until we reach 165°F.

How do you cook a chicken that is already smoked?

To gently warm your smoked chicken, preheat your oven to 325°F. Place chicken in a roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and heat for approximately 15 minutes per pound or to an internal temperature of 120°F.