Apple Wood Smoked Salt Grilled Half Chicken
Half chickens have always felt like honest backyard cooking to me. You get the satisfaction of putting a whole bird on the grill, but with better access to the skin, the bone, and all those edges that pick up heat and flavor. It is the kind of chicken that belongs on a platter in the middle of the table, where everyone reaches in and grabs the piece they love most.
This version leans into the quiet beauty of smoke and salt. Revolution Barbecue Apple Wood Smoked Salt brings a soft fruitwood aroma that settles into the chicken without overpowering it. Apple wood has a lighter hand than hickory, with a mellow sweetness that feels right at home on poultry. The skin turns golden and savory, the meat stays juicy, and the flavor lands somewhere between Sunday supper and a backyard cookout in full swing.
I like this kind of recipe because it reminds us that barbecue does not always need to be loud. Sometimes the best plate comes from good chicken, steady heat, and seasoning that knows when to speak up and when to let the fire do its work.
Grilled Half Chicken with Apple Wood Smoked Salt
Grilled chicken can go in a hundred different directions, but this one stays close to the fire. It is built around the kind of flavor that makes you stop talking for a second after the first bite. The skin gets that golden, lightly crisp texture you want from the grill, while the meat underneath stays tender and full of clean chicken flavor.
The real character comes from Revolution Barbecue Apple Wood Smoked Salt. It adds a mild smoke note without turning the chicken into a heavy barbecue rub recipe. That matters here because poultry takes on smoke quickly, and apple wood gives you that gentle balance of savory salt, warm aroma, and just enough sweetness to round off the edges. The black pepper adds a little bite, the garlic and onion bring comfort, and the thyme gives the chicken a familiar roasted note without making it taste like holiday poultry.
- Author
- Glenn Connaughton
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hours 10 minutes
- Servings
- 4
- Category
Dinner
- Cuisine
American
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Revolution Barbecue Apple Wood Smoked Salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
Directions
- Prepare The Grill: Set up your grill for two-zone cooking at 350 to 400 degrees. On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side. On a gas grill, light one side of the grill and leave the other side cooler for indirect cooking.
- Split The Chicken: Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip the chicken breast side up, then cut through the center of the breastbone to separate the bird into 2 halves.
- Dry The Chicken: Pat the chicken halves dry with paper towels, paying close attention to the skin. Dry skin takes seasoning better and gives you better color on the grill.
- Season The Chicken: Brush the chicken halves with olive oil. Combine Revolution Barbecue Apple Wood Smoked Salt, coarse black pepper, granulated garlic, dried thyme, and granulated onion in a small bowl. Season the chicken evenly on both sides, making sure to get into the leg, thigh, wing, and breast sections.
- Start The Chicken Indirect: Place the chicken halves skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Position the legs and thighs closer to the heat source and the breasts farther away from the fire. Close the lid and cook until the breast reaches 155 to 160 degrees and the thighs are around 175 to 185 degrees.
- Finish The Skin: Move the chicken closer to the heat during the last few minutes of cooking if the skin needs more color. Watch it closely so the skin tightens and browns without burning.
- Check For Doneness: Cook the chicken until the breast reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast without touching bone.
- Carve And Serve: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Separate the breast, wing, thigh, and drumstick portions. Serve warm.