I grew up in Georgia, and have spent more than half my life in North Alabama, where Big Bob Gibson invented the "white sauce" for his chicken more than 100 years ago. Most smoked chicken is not going to have crispy skin, due not only to the smoking process, but due to the use of sauces. But it should also NOT have rubbery skin.
Growing up, we had more "BBQ chicken" than anything, but in the late 70's or early 80's, my dad brought home one of the offset smokers he was having his guys fabricate as customer appreciation gifts, and he started smoking. One of my dad's favorite things to smoke were split chickens. Back then, he could go to Winn Dixie or wherever, and the butcher would split a bunch of whole fryers for him, no charge. These days I have to split them myself (and the birds are monstrous in size these days!).
My wife does not eat the skin, ever, except for when it is crisp like on chicken wings. My kids and I do, unless it is rubbery.
I used to smoke chicken at 225 like everything else, but found that the skin was always a throwaway. Tender chicken, but more rubbery skin. The secret to me was to run my offset a bit hotter, at least 275 to 300, resulted in better skin, while still getting smokiness in the chicken. However, these days, I don't smoke chicken unless it is 325 to 375, as I don't want that throw away skin. It is also easier to get the thigh and leg meat, that NEED to reach higher temps than the breast, to render by running the smoker a little hotter.
I feel that most folks you feed your chicken to want and expect the chicken to have crisp skin. You get there while also remaining juicy inside, by monitoring the temp of the breast meat, and not overcooking. I pull when the breast hits 160, using a leave in thermometer to monitor it. By then, the thigh and leg meat is usually closer to 175, which is where you need it to reach to render properly.
I guess I am trying to say in a rambling way - you can smoke your chicken and get crisp skin, AND have juicy chicken, by running the cooker a little hotter, AND by monitoring the temperature of the chicken. The only reason you won't have juicy chicken is if you overcook it.
Growing up, we had more "BBQ chicken" than anything, but in the late 70's or early 80's, my dad brought home one of the offset smokers he was having his guys fabricate as customer appreciation gifts, and he started smoking. One of my dad's favorite things to smoke were split chickens. Back then, he could go to Winn Dixie or wherever, and the butcher would split a bunch of whole fryers for him, no charge. These days I have to split them myself (and the birds are monstrous in size these days!).
My wife does not eat the skin, ever, except for when it is crisp like on chicken wings. My kids and I do, unless it is rubbery.
I used to smoke chicken at 225 like everything else, but found that the skin was always a throwaway. Tender chicken, but more rubbery skin. The secret to me was to run my offset a bit hotter, at least 275 to 300, resulted in better skin, while still getting smokiness in the chicken. However, these days, I don't smoke chicken unless it is 325 to 375, as I don't want that throw away skin. It is also easier to get the thigh and leg meat, that NEED to reach higher temps than the breast, to render by running the smoker a little hotter.
I feel that most folks you feed your chicken to want and expect the chicken to have crisp skin. You get there while also remaining juicy inside, by monitoring the temp of the breast meat, and not overcooking. I pull when the breast hits 160, using a leave in thermometer to monitor it. By then, the thigh and leg meat is usually closer to 175, which is where you need it to reach to render properly.
I guess I am trying to say in a rambling way - you can smoke your chicken and get crisp skin, AND have juicy chicken, by running the cooker a little hotter, AND by monitoring the temperature of the chicken. The only reason you won't have juicy chicken is if you overcook it.
And you do you!
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