Marinade for Hot-Smoked Chicken
Aromatic and spicy - make a true delicacy! Very easy, very quick, and incredibly delicious! Marinate the bird in this marinade for hot-smoked chicken and you will end up with very tasty, tender meat.
Updated : 02 April, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
2 liter
Water
2 tablespoon
Salt
1 teaspoon
Sugar
2
Laurel leaf
4
Cloves
8
Allspice
4
Garlic
4
Juniper Berry
to taste
Thyme
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make a quick marinade for smoking chicken in a smoker? Prepare everything you need. For 1 liter (about 4 1/4 cups) of water, I suggest using 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. With the amount given in this recipe, I marinated two chickens weighing 1200 g each (about 2.6 lb each). I will be smoking them using the quick-smoking method (up to 2 hours), so this amount of salt will be enough. For longer smoking (more than 2 hours), increase the salt to 80-100 g per liter (about 2.8-3.5 oz per 4 1/4 cups of water).
Step 2
Peel the garlic and rinse it under running water together with the bay leaf and thyme. Instead of fresh thyme, you can use parsley, basil, or dried aromatic herbs. Pour clean water into a pot, add the salt and sugar, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cut the garlic cloves lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces.
Step 4
Add the peppercorns, a few dried cloves, the bay leaf, garlic, and thyme to the boiling water. I also had some dried juniper berries on hand, so I added them to the marinade too.
Step 5
Reduce the heat to medium and let the marinade simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat and cool the aromatic brine to room temperature.
Step 6
Place the cleaned and rinsed chicken carcasses into a deep bowl or pot and pour the marinade over them. Put a weight on top so that the chicken is completely submerged in the brine. Marinate the poultry in the refrigerator for 24 hours. I usually leave it for 2 days.
Step 7
Before smoking the chickens, remove them from the marinade and dry them for a while, preferably in a drafty place (I usually dry them for at least 3-4 hours). Then place the chickens in the smoker and smoke until done at 100-110°C (212-230°F). I smoke whole, uncut chickens for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 8
If you like, you can add freshly squeezed lemon juice and spices to the marinade to taste. Chicken seasoning, khmeli-suneli, and other spice blends work well here too. For longer smoking, it is best to use a little more salt than stated in the recipe. Enjoy your meal!
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