Smoked Lemon-Chipotle Chickens

Southern Living; this one looks complicated, but my husband wants to try it. On a chilly day, the chicken will take longer to cook—up to 45 minutes more. Do not skip the step of tying the chicken with string; the more compact the chicken, the better the smoking results.

• Ready In: 49 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1  small sweet onion, quartered
• 8  large garlic cloves, peeled
• 3⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 3  tablespoons white vinegar
• 3  chicken bouillon cubes
• 3  canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 2  tablespoons adobo sauce
• 2  teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 (4 1/2lb)  whole chickens
•  kitchen  string
• 2 1⁄2 cups  hickory chips or 2 1⁄2 cups  oak  wood chips

Directions

1. Add the first 8 ingredients to a food processor along with ¾ teaspoon salt; process until smooth; set mixture aside.
2. Remove excess skin from necks and cavities of chickens.
3. Starting at large cavities, loosen skin from breast and legs by inserting fingers and gently pushing between skin and meat (do not completely detach skin).
4. Place chickens in a large roasting pan; using a bulb baster, squeeze lemon-chipotle mixture evenly into chicken cavities and under skin on breasts and legs.
5. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining salt; tuck wings under.
6. Position the center of a 3-foot piece of kitchen string under back of 1 chicken near tail.
7. Wrap string around legs and around body of chicken; tie securely at neck.
8. Repeat with remaining chickens.
9. Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes; set aside.
10. Prepare smoker according to manufacturer’s directions.
11. Bring internal temperature to 225° to 250°, and maintain temperature for 15-20 minutes.
12. Place chickens on upper cooking grate; cover with smoker lid.
13. Cook chickens, maintaining the temperature inside the smoker between 225-250°, for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
14. Drain reserved wood chips, and place on coals.
15. Cover with smoker lip; smoke chickens 2 to 2 ½ hours more until a meat thermometer inserted into thighs registers 175°.
16. Remove chickens from smoker; cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 180° before slicing.