Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Papa D 1946-2012's Note:

From smoking meat.com news letter.

• Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

For the brine

• 4 cups of cold drinking water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the chicken

• 4 -6 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
• toothpick
• regular cut bacon (3 slices per breast)
• ribs or chicken, rub
• barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Brine:.
2. Pour the water into a pitcher then add the salt.
3. Stir until the salt is dissolved and the water returns to clear. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
4. Pour the brine over the chicken breasts until covered, cover with lid or plastic wrap and place the bowl in the fridge to keep cold.
5. Soak the 6 chicken breasts in a deep glass container for 2 hours flipping them over at the halfway mark to make sure they were evenly submerged.
6. Preparing the Chicken Breasts:.
7. After rinsing the breasts to make sure there was no extra salt on the outside of the meat, Lay the breast down in the brining bowl and cover them with rub.
8. Lay 3 strips of bacon butted up against each other on a cutting board or flat surface. Lay one of the breasts across the bacon leaving enough bacon on the left side to wrap it over just a little.
9. Roll the breast over a couple of times to completely wrap it in the bacon and use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
10. Smoking the Chicken Breasts:.
11. Setup the smoker for about 230 degrees for best results, and add dry and soaked wood chips.
12. Once the smoker is ready, go get the chicken breasts and place them directly on the grate leaving about 1 inch of space between them to allow the smoke to completely surround them.
13. Estimate about 3 hours of cook time but that will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts that you purchased.
14. About 30 minutes before they are finished, brush a light coating of barbecue sauce all over the top of them.
15. There done when a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.

Reviews

[SmokinNoob]

Excellent smokey flavor (I used applewood) and the bacon really helps keep the chicken moist. My first attempt at smoking and it worked brilliantly! I'm proud they came out looking a lot like Papa D's.

[gailanng]

bacon...bacon...bacon! I love bacon! Made in memory of the beloved Papa D.

[breezermom]

Delicious smokey flavor! I used a mix of hickory and applewood....very nice flavor. I used low sodium, 25% lower fat bacon to try and reduce some fat calories, and these turned out delicious. I only had to cook my breasts for 1 hour 10 minutes over indirect heat to get them smokey, tender, and juicy. Thanks for sharing! Made for PAC Fall 2011.