Smoked Chicken with Alabama White Sauce is slow-cooked over wood smoke, which imparts a rich, smoky flavor. The standout feature is the creamy Alabama White Sauce, a tangy, mayonnaise-based sauce with vinegar, black pepper, horseradish, and a few other spices.
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What is Alabama White Sauce?
Alabama White Sauce isn’t your typical barbecue sauce. Forget the sweet, sticky tomato-based stuff. This one is mayo-based—yes, mayonnaise—which might sound a little unconventional, but trust me, it works. It was created in the 1920s by Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, and it’s been a Southern BBQ staple ever since.
What makes it special? It’s creamy, tangy (thanks to apple cider vinegar and lemon juice), and just a little spicy if you want it to be. It’s the perfect companion to smoky meats—especially chicken—because it balances the rich, smoky flavors with a cool, zippy finish. And the best part? It’s ridiculously easy to make.
How to Get Juicy and Safe Chicken
Now that we’ve got the sauce covered, let’s move on to the star of the show: the chicken. Because, let’s face it, no amount of tasty sauce can save a dry or undercooked bird. Let’s take a look at how to get chicken that is both juicy and safe.
1. Split the Chicken Into Halves
Ever noticed how the chicken breast is often dry while the legs are still struggling to hit the right temperature? That’s because whole chickens cook unevenly. When you halve the chicken, the breast, thighs, and legs all cook at roughly the same pace, ensuring everything stays juicy. Plus, the added surface area means more exposure to smoky goodness—and more crispy skin. Who doesn’t love that?
2. Use a Higher Smoking Temperature
Low and slow is great for tough cuts like brisket and pork shoulder, which are loaded with connective tissue. That gentle heat breaks down the collagen into gelatin, turning them into tender, juicy perfection. But chicken? It’s a whole different story. Chicken is naturally lean and tender, so it thrives with a slightly higher smoking temperature—think 250°F to 300°F.
Why? For one, higher heat speeds up the cooking process, reducing the risk of drying out that delicate meat. And two, it gives the skin a fighting chance to crisp up instead of turning into that dreaded rubbery texture.
To keep an eye on temps, we’ll use Typhur Sync wireless meat thermometer. What’s cool about this thermometer is the probes. Each one has six built-in temperature sensors—one to track the ambient temperature of your smoker and five for the internal temps of your chicken. It means you can monitor both the ambient smoker temp and the internal temp of the chicken in real time—no need to guess or open the smoker lid constantly.
3. Spritz the Meat
Finally, let’s make sure your chicken stays moist and flavorful throughout the smoking process. Spritzing the meat every 30 minutes with a simple mix of apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and water keeps the outer layers from drying out while enhancing the smoky crust. It’s the finishing touch that takes your smoked chicken from good to unforgettable.
How to Make Smoked Chicken with Alabama White Sauce
For Smoked Chicken
Split the whole chicken in half, removing the breast bone so it lays flat. Pat it dry with paper towels.
Combine all the rub ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and cayenne) in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken halves, making sure to get under the skin where possible for extra flavor.
Preheat your smoker to about 250℉/121℃. Add your preferred wood (apple, hickory, or oak work well) to create a steady stream of aromatic smoke.
Place the seasoned chicken halves on the smoker, skin-side up. Smoke until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast and thigh reaches 165°F (this generally takes about 1-1.5 hours, but times may vary depending on your setup).
Once fully cooked, let the chicken rest for about 10–15 minutes before serving to lock in juices.
For the Alabama White Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, prepared horseradish, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, cayenne powder, and a pinch of kosher salt. Taste and adjust flavors as you like—add more vinegar for tang, more sugar for sweetness, or more cayenne if you want extra heat. Let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serving
Serve it alongside the smoked chicken, brushing it on just before serving or offering it as a dipping sauce on the side.
Why We Love This Recipe
This is honestly one of my go-to methods for when I want to wow everyone at a backyard cookout. I mean, it’s pretty straightforward: smoke the chicken until it’s super juicy, and then dunk it into a big bowl of Alabama White Sauce. The combination just works—like perfectly balanced flavors that keep you grabbing for seconds.
What’s so great about it? For starters, that Alabama White Sauce isn’t your average BBQ sauce. It’s tangy, creamy, and has just the right amount of heat. I love that contrast, especially after biting into smoky, tender chicken. Instead of the usual sticky-sweet glaze, you’re getting something that surprises people in the best possible way. Plus, it pairs amazingly with other dishes too—you can drizzle it over pulled pork, dunk grilled veggies in it, or even use it to spice up a regular old chicken sandwich.
Smoked Chicken with Alabama White Sauce
Video
Equipment
- Smoker
- Tongs
- Mixing Bowl
- Pastry Brush
- Chef Knife
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
Chicken Rub
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tbsp crushed black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
Alabama White Sauce
- 3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the Chicken Rub. Prepare a clean bowl, add all the chicken rub ingredients into the bowl, and mix well.1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tbsp crushed black pepper, 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp mustard powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
- Make the Alabama White Sauce. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and keep cool until ready to serve.3 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp prepared horseradish, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- Preheat the Smoker. Prepare a smoker with wood or pellets (preferably hickory or apple wood) to 250℉/121℃.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken in half from the back and remove the backbone.
- Sprinkle chicken rub evenly on both sides of chicken.
- To ensure accuracy, insert the Typhur wireless probe into the thickest part of the chicken, making sure the safety line is completely immersed.
- Go to Typhur App, select poultry→ chicken→ whole in the parameters list. Set the target temperature to 165℉/74°C.
- Transfer the chicken into your preheated smoker, then securely close the lid.
- To begin the process, simply press the start button on your phone. You will be notified once your food is ready to be removed from the smoker.
- Using tongs, carefully remove the chickens and place on a heat resistant surface. Wrap with foil and let rest for at least 3 minutes. (Note: the internal temperature will continue to rise.)
- Carefully remove the probe.
- Dip or glaze with the Alabama White Sauce at the end, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition PER SERVING
(Nutrition information is calculated automatically by Spoonacular API and should be considered an estimate.)
