Sweet Harmony: Apple Butter Whole Chicken Recipe

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Kaydon

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Hello, fellow food enthusiasts and culinary adventurers! Today, we’re embarking on a delicious journey that combines the rustic charm of a whole roasted chicken with the sweet and comforting notes of apple butter. Get ready to elevate your dining experience as we dive into the creation of an Apple Butter Whole Chicken – a recipe that promises to infuse your kitchen with warmth and your taste buds with a symphony of flavors.

The Allure of Apple Butter Magic

Apple butter, that velvety spread of slow-cooked apples, sugar, and spices, isn’t just for slathering on toast or biscuits. In this culinary exploration, we’re taking apple butter beyond the breakfast table and into the realm of savory delights. The natural sweetness and rich consistency of apple butter make it the perfect candidate for a glaze that transforms an ordinary roasted chicken into a masterpiece.

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • Apple Butter (Homemade or Store Bought)
  • Your Favorite Savory Seasoning (I used my Gotcha Seasoning which has a good spice level)
  • Apple Juice (For Spritzing, can be subbed with Apple Cider Vinegar, Water, etc.)

Fire Up Your Smoker or Pellet Grill

This recipe can be cooked on a pellet smoker or on an offset smoker. For point of reference, I have a Traeger Ironwood 885 as my pellet smoker and an Old Country BBQ Pecos offset smoker. Fire up whatever smoker you are using to 250 degrees. For this cook I used apple wood. I felt like a fruit wood really complimented the flavor, but I also feel that cooking with post oak or hickory would be successful as well. Just use whatever you have access to.

Preparing the Chicken

Spatchcocking the Chicken

I start this recipe off by spatchcocking the whole chicken. Spatchcocking is the process of removing the spine from the chicken and butterflying it flat on the smoker. In order to spatchcock your chicken, take a pair of kitchen scissors and slowly work your way along the spine. Depending on the quality of your scissors, it may take some force to remove the spine. Once the spine is removed, flip the chicken over and press down on the chicken breast. You will hear, and probably feel, a small, “pop.” This will allow the chicken to lay flat.

Spatchcocking the chicken is beneficial because it allows for a faster, more even cook. When doing this recipe, it is important to make sure that everything cooks evenly so that you don’t end up with an overcooked, dry piece of chicken, or even worse, and undercooked piece that could make someone sick.

Applying the Apple Butter and Seasoning

The first, and most important part of this recipe is finding a great apple butter. We use a locally created Apple Butter from our friends at the George Jam Company. It is really good stuff! Once you select your apple butter, place the chicken meat side up and cut tiny slits in each breast, thighs, legs, and wings. You do not want the slits to be too big or your apple butter will begin to fall out. Begin applying the apple butter under the skin to each part of the meat. Be very liberal when applying your apple butter, this will be what makes your chicken super juicy and flavorful! After applying your apple butter under the skin, begin to apply the apple butter a little more conservatively to the outside of the skin. This will serve almost as your binder.

Once your chicken is lathered up in apple butter it is time to apply your seasoning. It is important to get a more savory rub to go on the skin. You want to counterbalance the sweetness of the apple butter. I used my Gotcha seasoning which is a little bit spicy. It is similar tasting to a cajun rub or Meat Church’s VooDoo rub. I applied the seasoning liberally all over the chicken, let it adhere for about 20 minutes, and was ready to get rolling on the cook.

Time to Cook

Once your smoker is set to 250 degrees and your chicken is properly lathered in sweet, delicious, apple butter and seasoned you are ready to go! You will want to place the chicken meat side up as far from the fire as possible.

If you are using a probe or wireless thermometer I would place it in the chicken breast. This is the biggest piece, and the piece that typically takes the longest to cook. Once the breast is done, your whole chicken will be done.

Spritzing the chicken is determined based on how you like your chicken cooked. There are lots of different theories and thoughts on how often to spritz and what to spritz with. I like to keep the sweet apple theme going so I used apple juice to spritz. I spritzed about once every 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you like your chicken skin extra crispy, you probably will want to spritz a lot less. The less you spritz, the crispier your skin will be.

Finishing the Cook

As I previously stated, you are really looking to pinpoint the breast temperature. I usually like to shoot for 168 degrees just to make sure there is no gray area and might accidentally get someone sick. Chicken could be dangerous if it is served undercooked, so please make sure that you are getting the correct temperature and cooking it all the way through. As you get near the end of the cook, your chicken will start to turn a beautiful dark color. This is a good indicator that your cook time is starting to come to an end.

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Overall, it took me a little over 5 hours to cook this recipe. BBQ is so different with each cook. Certain pieces of meat can cook faster or slower, there is not a direct science to it. As you start to get a little over the four hour mark, start taking a peek at the skin and its color. If you think it is close, and you are not using a wireless thermometer, check that temperature in the breast. Again, you are aiming for 168 degrees.

Enjoy!

You did it! Congratulations! I hope that you enjoyed cooking this recipe as much as I did. This recipe is a perfect mixture of sweet and savory and gives you a delicious bite every time you sink your teeth into it. It is juicy, and delicious. If you would like to watch the quick Instagram video of how we did this cook CLICK HERE. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Happy Cooking!

Kaydon

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Kaydon
Father of four kids under four years old. Assistant principal of an elementary school just trying to find time to do what I love!
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