• Place the whole chicken with the breast-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut along the two sides of the backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken over and press it firmly down on the breast bone until the entire chicken lies flat. Pat the chicken very dry using paper towels.
• Mix the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl and then apply it evenly over the entire chicken. For even more flavor, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes or overnight.

Choose one method below:

Charcoal Grill: Indirect Smoking Setup

• For this method, we're creating two zones: one for heat, one for the meat. Push all your charcoal to one side of the grill to create your hot zone. Light your coals using a chimney starter and once they're ashed over and ready, dump them onto the charcoal side only. Close the lid and play with the vents until you have a steady temperature of 250–275°F. This low temperature is ideal for developing smoky flavor.

Gas Grill: Indirect Smoking Setup

• Preheat your gas grill to 250–275°F using only one side of the burners (create a 2-zone setup).
• Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side up over the indirect heat zone (opposite the coals or unlit burners). Close the lid and smoke the chicken for 1.5 to 3 hours. The cooking time will vary based on the size of your chicken and your type of smoker. Use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting it up.