Smoked Chicken Hens

This is serious backyard smoking with a Louisiana soul. Two whole chickens get packed with a loaded stuffing that splits down the middle: one half built with smoked sausage, the other with Italian sausage.

Scallions, celery, peppers, parsley, stale bread, eggs, hot sauce, aromatic bitters, and white wine bind the whole thing together into something you’d be proud to serve at a crawfish boil.

The birds smoke low over charcoal and soaked wood chips for five hours with a water pan spiked with wine, Worcestershire, mint, garlic, onion, and liquid smoke to keep the air fragrant and moist.

Pro Tips

• Soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes before adding them to the coals. Wet chips smolder and produce more smoke instead of burning up fast.
• Keep the water pan topped up during the full smoke. It regulates the temperature and keeps the chicken from drying out.
• Let the birds rest 15 minutes after pulling them off the smoker. The juices redistribute and the stuffing firms up for cleaner slicing.