For January, I wanted to share one of my go-to recipes — something I make almost weekly at home on the smoker: spatchcock chicken. It’s simple, mostly hands-off, and feeds a decent crowd… or a small one with leftovers (which is never a bad thing).

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (I usually grab the cheap ones with the giblets)
• Cajun seasoning of your choice

Instructions

1. Cut the backbone off the chicken.
2. Flip it over, twist the legs/thighs out to the sides, and press down firmly on the center of the breastbone with both hands until you hear a pop. This flattens it out.
3. Preheat your smoker to 300°F.
4. Season liberally — all over. Get into all the nooks and crannies. I even season the undercarriage for maximum flavor.
5. Once the smoker is hot, toss the chicken in and let it do its thing.
6. Depending on the size of your bird, cook time is typically 1.5–2 hours.
7. When the thickest part of the breast temps at 160–165°F, pull it off the smoker.
8. Let it rest at least 15 minutes (I usually go for 20).
9. Slice it up — cut the thighs from the bottom, separate the legs from the thighs, then remove the breasts from the breastbone.
10. Enjoy an extremely juicy, smoky chicken!