There’s nothing quite as juicy as a whole rotisserie chicken from Costco. You can replicate that flavor with the GE Profile Indoor Smoker.
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Table of Contents
How does Costco make it’s rotisserie chicken
Costco starts with whole chickens that are pre-soaked in a brine. According to the packaging, the ingredients include water, salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose and spices.
After the brine, the chickens aren’t actually seasoned. According to Costco cooking procedures, they’re slid onto long rods (called spits) and loaded into an Inferno 4500, which is the big rotisserie oven.
Costco cooks the chickens at 420F degrees until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 183F degrees and the temperature of the back or thigh reaches 170F degrees.
Once they’re removed from the oven, they are held in the hot hold case for no more than two hours. But if you’ve ever been to Costco, you know they never last in the case that long. People are usually standing in line to grab them fresh out of the oven.
Ingredients
While I don’t know the exact brine that Costco uses, I love the chicken brine from Blues Hog called Rise & Brine.
- Whole chicken: Since we’re mimicking Costco chicken, I grabbed a Kirkland organic chicken from Costco.
- Blues Hog Rise & Brine: This brine is the magic that will make the chicken nice and juicy.
See the full recipe card below for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to smoke whole chicken on an indoor smoker
- STEP ONE: Combine 1/2 cup of the Rise & Brine with 3 cups of water. Soak the chicken in the brine in a zip-top bag in the fridge for 30 minutes.
PRO TIP: For crispy skin, don't soak the chicken for more than 30 minutes. If you do, the chicken skin may become rubbery.
- STEP TWO: Remove the chicken from the brine. Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine, tuck the wing tips under the bird and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- STEP THREE: You can use the presets on the GE Profile Indoor Smoker for chicken, which is 300F degrees. Turn the smoker on. Select chicken. Choose the probe and set it to 183F degrees. Insert the meat thermometer into the breast and slide the chicken into the smoker breast side up on the bottom rack.
PRO TIP: You can cook this with or without smoke. To add smoke flavor, be sure to add water to the drawer and pellets to the top of the smoker. Then, choose your smoke intensity from level 1 to 5.
- STEP FOUR: After the first hour, slide a tray of Costco mac and cheese in the smoker on a rack above the chicken. This is obviously optional, but it makes a nice full meal.
- STEP FIVE: It will take a total of 2-3 hours for the breast meat to reach an internal temperature of 183F degrees. Timing will depend on whether or not you have additional items in the smoker. Once it reaches temp, remove the chicken from the indoor smoker and remove the butcher’s twine.
PRO TIP: Technically, chicken is done when the meat reaches 165 F degrees. But Costco cooks its chickens to 183F, so that's what the method I used for this recipe. It's still super juicy.
If this recipe is helpful, I would appreciate it if you would use the link below when you purchase your indoor smoker. After you make a purchase, I will be provided a slight commission at no extra cost to you.
How to serve indoor smoked chicken
After the chicken rests for 15 minutes, you can slice into it.
The meat was so incredibly juicy, just like a Costco rotisserie chicken, but with the bonus of a kiss of smoke.
Storage
Leftover smoked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s great mixed into chicken salads. You can also freeze leftover chicken and work it into future recipes like Savory Hand Pies or Quiche.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Brine the chicken for no more than 30 minutes
- Smoke the chicken on the bottom rack, add mac and cheese on top
- Cook until the breast meat reaches 183F
Frequently Asked Questions
Costco chicken is cooked in a rotisserie oven. The chickens are loaded onto a spit and they rotate in the oven as they cook.
You can simply reheat leftover Costco chicken or leftovers from this smoked chicken recipe in the microwave. You can also place shredded pieces of chicken in a skillet and toss them with taco seasoning and a splash of water for great tacos. Or heat it in a skillet with some BBQ sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches.
The GE Profile Indoor Smoker presets recommend smoking whole chicken at 300F degrees. It will take 2-3 hours for the chicken to be fully cooked through. Cook time will vary, depending on the size of your chicken and what other items you may have in the smoker.
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Costco-style whole chicken on the GE Profile Indoor Smoker
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs
- 1/2 cup Blues Hog Rise & Brine
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Brine: Remove the chicken from the packaging. Remove the neck and organs. Place it in a large zip-top bag. Combine the brine and water. Pour that into the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Prep: Remove the chicken from the brine. Pat it dry with paper towels. Truss the legs together with butcher's twine.
- Heat Smoker: Turn the smoker on. Choose the chicken preset and 300F degrees. Select probe and set it to 183F degrees. Insert the probe into the chicken breast. Add pellets, and choose your smoke intensity level.
- Smoke: Place the chicken in the smoker above the drip pan on the bottom rack. Cook for 2-3 hours, until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 183F degrees.
- Option: For a full meal, slide a pan of Costco mac and cheese into the smoker on a rack above the chicken after the first hour.
- Rest: Once the chicken reaches temp, let it rest for 15 minutes. Then, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
