Franchise Innovation Awards 2025: Celebrating the Most Disruptive Brands

Learn the competition tested process for making buttery, flavorful, and tender smoked chicken breasts from brining to wrapping. 

## The Secret to Perfectly Smoked Chicken 

Smoking chicken breast takes precision, patience, and care to get right. When done properly, the result is tender, juicy, and rich with smoky flavor. This guide walks through each step of the process to help you create perfectly smoked chicken that tastes like it came straight from a professional pitmaster’s kitchen. 

### Step 1: Trim for Even Cooking 
Start with four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Trim away any excess fat or uneven edges using kitchen shears. This quick step ensures the chicken cooks evenly and looks great once plated. 

Remove loose fat and thin ends that can overcook.
Aim for smooth edges and consistent thickness.
If you are using skin on chicken, the same steps apply and the results are just as flavorful. 

Uniform, rounded pieces cook more evenly and give you that restaurant quality finish. 

[![dickeys order.png](https://cms-www-dickeys-com.s3.amazonaws.com/dickeys_order_79b2c1e287.png)](https://www.dickeys.com/quote/everyday?type=carryout)

### Step 2: Brine to Lock In Moisture 
Brining is the foundation of juicy smoked chicken. It helps the meat stay tender during smoking and enhances flavor from the inside out. 

How to Brine:
- Place the trimmed chicken in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag.
- Mix ½ cup of chicken brine or a simple blend of salt, sugar, and water.
- Pour the brine over the chicken, ensuring it is fully submerged.
- Seal and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight for maximum flavor.

Brining adds both moisture and seasoning so the chicken stays juicy no matter how long it smokes. 

### Step 3: Season with Layers of Flavor 
Once brined, remove the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Lightly coat each piece with a binder such as spray butter, olive oil, or mustard. This helps the seasoning adhere and promotes a beautiful crust during smoking. 

Apply your favorite barbecue rub evenly on all sides. Press the rub gently into the surface so it stays in place. 

Use a mix that includes salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika for balance.
Remember to season the edges for full flavor. 

This layering technique builds depth of taste and texture in every bite. 


### Step 4: Set Up the Smoker 
Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose a wood that complements poultry such as hickory, apple, cherry, or pecan. These woods create a smooth, mild smoke that enhances rather than overpowers the chicken. 

Place the chicken breasts on the middle rack of the smoker. Let them cook slowly so the smoke can circulate evenly around each piece. 

Avoid opening the lid too often. Consistent temperature and smoke flow are key to perfect results. 

### Step 5: Wrap with Butter for Extra Tenderness
When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 125 degrees, remove each piece and wrap it in butcher paper with a few small pats of butter. This technique keeps the chicken moist and adds a rich, buttery flavor.

Wrap the chicken tightly and return it to the smoker. Continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 162 degrees.

This butter wrap method creates tender, juicy chicken that tastes as if it was cooked in a professional competition. 
![dickeys_franchise.png](https://cms-www-dickeys-com.s3.amazonaws.com/dickeys_franchise_92268b5a92.png)
 

### Step 6: Rest Before Serving 
Once the chicken is done, remove it from the smoker but keep it wrapped. Let it rest for about fifteen minutes. During this time, the juices redistribute and the temperature settles for perfectly moist chicken.

If you slice it too soon, the juices will escape and the meat can dry out. Resting is the key to that buttery, melt in your mouth texture. 

### Step 7: Slice and Enjoy 
After resting, unwrap the chicken and slice it across the grain. You should see a golden exterior, juicy interior, and a delicate smoky aroma.

Serve it as a main course, on a sandwich, or over a salad. For an extra touch, brush it with barbecue glaze, honey butter, or your favorite sauce just before serving. 

## Final Thoughts 
Smoked chicken breast does not have to be complicated. By trimming for even cooking, brining for moisture, seasoning with care, and wrapping with butter, you can create perfectly juicy chicken every time.

Each step contributes to flavor and texture, turning a simple cut of chicken into something extraordinary. With a steady temperature and a little patience, you can bring true barbecue quality to your backyard.

How to Smoke Juicy Chicken Breast: Step-by-Step Guide for Perfect Results

CEO Magazine: Secret Sauce: Laura Rea Dickey & Roland Dickey Jr

No Smoke, Just Results: Dickey’s Growth Along the Gulf

*Bold expansion showcases creativity, innovation and the future of barbecue convenience*
 
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the world’s largest barbecue concept, announced the opening of 28 new Ghost Kitchens across the United States in September 2025. This bold expansion signals a pivotal moment for the brand, strengthening its footprint in new and existing markets while showcasing its commitment to creativity, growth, and adaptability in a rapidly evolving restaurant industry. 
 
Ghost Kitchens are delivery only facilities designed to meet the growing demand for convenience and digital ordering. By leaning into this model, [Dickey’s](https://www.rolanddickeyjr.com/blog/dickeys-bbq-franchise) is not only scaling faster but also serving barbecue lovers in communities where a traditional brick and mortar store might not yet exist. 
 
The new Dickey’s Ghost Kitchens opened in Texas including Wylie, Corsicana, McKinney, McQueeny, Irving, Dallas, Lewisville, and Ft. Worth. Additional openings included Arizona with Tempe and Mesa, Alabama with Enterprise, New Jersey with Jersey City and Whiting, New York with Scarsdale, Pennsylvania with Philadelphia, Broomal and Pottstown, Louisiana with Covington, Lafayette, and Carencro, Ohio with Oakwood Village, Oklahoma with Tulsa, Illinois with Aurora and Florida with Saint Augustine, Riverview, and Sanford. 
 
“Ghost Kitchens allow us to bring Legit. Texas. Barbecue. to more guests faster than ever before,” said [Laura Rea Dickey](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/10/03/franchising-is-not-for-everyone-and-thats-exactly-why-it-works/), CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “It is about meeting our guests where they are whether they are in a bustling city or a suburban neighborhood and delivering the same authentic barbecue experience with the convenience of digital ordering. This model amplifies our ability to innovate while keeping the traditions of slow smoked barbecue alive.” 
 
For Dickey’s, Ghost Kitchens are not just a short term growth strategy. They are a creative pathway to long term expansion. With 28 openings in a single month, Dickey’s demonstrates how established brands can evolve with consumer demand while continuing to set benchmarks for operational excellence. 
 
“Expansion has always been part of our DNA,” said [Roland Dickey, Jr.](https://www.dallasnews.com/food/restaurant-news/2025/06/08/dickeys-barbecue-pit-locations-franchise/), CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group. “What started with my grandfather in 1941 has grown into a brand that thrives on adaptability. Ghost Kitchens allow us to scale quickly, support our franchisees, and open doors in markets that might otherwise take years to develop. This is a proud moment for our family business and a reflection of how far [Dickey’s](https://www.rolanddickeyjr.com/blog/dickeysfranchise) has come and where we are headed.” 
 
As [Dickey’s](https://youtu.be/i27Em2YbUUk) celebrates more than eight decades of serving barbecue, the brand continues to build on its legacy with bold moves that embrace technology, modern dining trends, and the evolving needs of today’s guests. With more than 400 locations worldwide and counting, the addition of Ghost Kitchens further positions Dickey’s as a leader in creative restaurant growth strategies. 

## About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. 
Founded in 1941 by the Dickey family, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is the world’s largest barbecue concept and continues as a third-generation family-run business. For more than 80 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions with its signature Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™ Slow-smoked over hickory wood-burning pits, Dickey’s barbecued meats are paired with a variety of Southern sides. Committed to authentic barbecue, Dickey’s never takes shortcuts — because real barbecue can’t be rushed. 

With more than 866 restaurants across eight concepts in the U.S. and several countries, Dickey’s Barbecue Franchise and Dickey’s Restaurant Brands continue to grow under the leadership of Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group, and Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. 

Dickey’s has been recognized on Newsweek’s 2022 "America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains" list, Nation’s Restaurant News 2024 top fast-casual brands for value, and USA Today’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. The brand has also ranked in the Top 20 of Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” for four of the past five years. Additional accolades include Entrepreneur’s Top 500 Franchise and Hospitality Technology’s Industry Heroes list. The brand has been featured by Fox News, Forbes, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine. 

For more information, visit [www.dickeys.com](http://www.dickeys.com/). For franchise opportunities, visit [www.dickeysfranchise.com](http://www.dickeysfranchise.com/). 

Contact:
Louisa Garrett
lgarrett@dickeys.com

No Smoke, Just Results: Dickey’s Growth Along the Gulf

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