The Most Delicious Smoked Chicken with an Irresistible Marinade

Turn the whole chicken breast-side down and pierce the back with a knife, leaving the skin over the breast intact and unpierced.

Pat the whole chicken thoroughly dry inside and out with paper towels, ensuring the surface is free of moisture so the marinade will adhere.

Mix the garlic, ginger, lemon, orange, and vegetable oil thoroughly until the citrus zest is evenly distributed and the mixture is well combined.

Mix the garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, ground black pepper, chicken bouillon powder, Cajun seasoning, sazón seasoning, and salt until evenly combined.

Photo of sazón seasoning

Coat the chicken with the marinade on all sides, gently rubbing some of it under the skin so the meat is thoroughly covered. Marinate the seasoned chicken for at least 60 minutes, or refrigerate overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate.

Spread the onion, cardamom, and bay leaves evenly over the bottom of a nonstick roasting pan to create an aromatic layer beneath the chicken.

Place the marinated chicken over the aromatic layer in the pan, then pour the water around it without washing the marinade off the surface.

Heat the pan over high heat for 15 minutes, until the liquid around the marinated chicken begins to boil.

Cover and cook the chicken over low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the meat is slowly cooked through and completely tender.

. Use the broiler setting.

Remove the pan from the oven once the chicken is browned. To smoke it, place a piece of glowing natural charcoal in the pan away from the chicken, then immediately cover the pan to trap the smoke for 5 minutes.

Remove the cover and discard the charcoal, then carefully transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve hot.