In partnership with Safeway

As the flowers begin to bloom and the weather warms, it’s time to welcome the flavors of spring into your backyard cooking routine with this Traeger Roasted Spring Chicken. Infused with zesty citrus and savory seasoning, this dish promises to elevate your outdoor dining experience while setting the stage for a cherished Passover tradition: homemade matzo ball soup.

A Traeger roasted whole chicken on the cutting board after carving. — Perfect and incredibly juicy Traeger roasted chicken

FRESH FOOD FOR SPRINGTIME

Spring brings a sense of renewal, and what better way to celebrate the season’s bounty than with a mouthwatering Traeger Roasted Spring Chicken? As a dad, teacher, and backyard grilling enthusiast here in Colorado, I’m always on the lookout for simple yet delicious recipes that my family and I can enjoy together, rain or shine. And with Passover approaching, this recipe not only satisfies our cravings for flavorful grilled chicken but also sets us up to make a second meal of homemade matzo ball soup.

COMFORT FOOD ELEVATED

This Traeger Roasted Spring Chicken is not only a testament to the versatility of Traeger grills but also a celebration of the freshest ingredients of the season. By infusing the chicken with the bright flavors of citrus and the boldness of Safeway’s Signature Select Lemon Pepper Seasoning, we create a dish that’s as vibrant as the springtime itself. Plus, by using the leftover bones from this chicken, you can easily prepare a rich and flavorful stock to make homemade matzo ball soup, a beloved Passover tradition in many Jewish families.

INSPIRED BY SPRING AND FAMILY GATHERINGS

Inspired by the vibrant colors and flavors of spring, I set out to create a dish that encapsulates the essence of the season. Drawing on my experience as a Traeger expert and cookbook author, I crafted this recipe to showcase the simplicity and versatility of Traeger grills, while also providing a delicious meal that the whole family can enjoy. And with Passover just around the corner, this recipe offers the perfect opportunity to continue our family’s tradition of enjoying homemade matzo ball soup together.

I have said it many times before, but there is nothing quite as delicious as a Traegered chicken. This remains true with this recipe for a roasted spring chicken– the flavor is incredible and the moisture the chicken retains during the cooking process, as a result of being dry-brined, is out of this world.

WHAT IS A DRY BRINE?

While the dry brine process adds at least an hour to your prep time (while it sits in the fridge), I’d argue that it is well worth both the extra effort and time for the incredible results. Indeed, if this chicken is on the dinner menu for your family, you can and should dry brine it the night before and leave it in the fridge until you get home from work and fire up the grill. It’s really that simple and so worth it.

A dry brine is an application that we like to use in lots of cooks on the Traeger. You coat the meat (beef, chicken, turkey or otherwise) in a salt-heavy mixture that includes aromatics and spices. Then, place the meat, uncovered, in the fridge over a wire rack (so that no part of the meat is sitting in a puddle) and refrigerate it for at least an hour.

WHAT HAPPENS?

When dry brining a chicken, you begin by generously seasoning the bird with a mixture of salt and sometimes other herbs or spices, depending on personal preference. As the salt comes into contact with the chicken’s surface, it begins to draw out moisture through osmosis. This process initially causes the surface of the chicken to appear wet as the moisture dissolves the salt, but eventually, the salt will dissolve completely, forming a concentrated brine solution that penetrates into the meat.

Over time, typically several hours or even overnight, the salt in the brine solution begins to break down the muscle proteins in the chicken. This not only seasons the meat throughout but also helps to tenderize it, resulting in a more flavorful and juicy final roasted spring chicken when cooked.

A whole chicken seasoned with a dry brine on a cutting board. — Cover the chicken generously in dry brine

Additionally, as the chicken sits in the dry brine, the seasoning mixture works its way deeper into the meat, infusing it with layers of flavor. When it’s time to cook the chicken, you’ll notice that it cooks more evenly and retains its moisture better than if it hadn’t been dry brined, resulting in a delicious and succulent dish that’s sure to impress.

And once it’s dry-brined, the chicken is roasted on the Traeger grill until golden and the end result is an incredible Traeger roasted spring chicken.

SAFEWAY MAKES IT EASY

Shopping at Safeway and utilizing their Safeway for U program offers a multitude of benefits for customers. Firstly, Safeway provides a wide selection of high-quality groceries, including fresh produce, meats, dairy products, and pantry staples. With numerous locations across the United States, Safeway offers convenience and accessibility to shoppers, ensuring they can find everything they need in one convenient location.

Whether you’re looking for organic options, specialty items, or everyday essentials, Safeway’s diverse inventory caters to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences.

One of the standout benefits of shopping at Safeway is their Safeway for U program, which rewards loyal customers with exclusive discounts, personalized deals, and valuable rewards. By signing up for Safeway for U, shoppers can enjoy savings on their favorite products, earn points on every purchase, and receive special offers tailored to their shopping habits. This program not only helps families like ours save money but also enhances our shopping experience by providing personalized recommendations and rewards based on our family’s individual preferences and purchasing history.

Moreover, Safeway for U members gain access to additional perks such as digital coupons, fuel rewards, and the ability to track their points and savings online or through the Safeway mobile app. This level of convenience and flexibility makes shopping at Safeway a rewarding experience, allowing customers to save time and money while enjoying the convenience of modern technology.

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Check out my recipe for Roasted Spring Chicken on Safeway’s website, where you can get all your ingredients too!

PRIMARY INGREDIENTS

FOR MATZO BALL SOUP WITH LEFTOVERS

Matzo ball mix
Water
Eggs
Oil
Carrots

WHY ROASTING A SPRING CHICKEN ON THE TRAEGER WORKS

Cooking this Roasted Spring Chicken on the Traeger grill not only infuses it with smoky, wood-fired flavor but also ensures even cooking and juicy, tender meat. The consistent heat of the Traeger grill allows the chicken to roast to perfection, while the wood-fired smoke adds an extra layer of complexity to the dish. Plus, using the Traeger grill to roast the chicken sets you up perfectly for making homemade matzo ball soup the next day, adding another layer of flavor to your Passover celebration.

A whole chicken on the Traeger grill, roasting. — Roast the chicken until golden brown

SAVE THE BONES FOR SOUP!

One of our favorite things about meal-prep cooks like this Traeger roasted spring chicken is that there are versatile meals to be had in the days ahead. The chicken can be used for tacos, salads, sandwiches and the like. And the bones are the perfect way to make a flavorful broth as the base for homemade matzo ball soup.

Once we picked the majority of the meat off the chicken, we threw the bones and remaining skin in a big cast iron dutch oven and covered it with water. Put the lid on the pan and back on the Traeger or on the induction burner of the Timberline XL Traeger for about 3 hours at medium heat. What results is a delicious, mostly-clear, and rich chicken broth that is the perfect base for soup.

In order to ensure we had the clearest broth possible, we first strained the broth through a colander. Then we poured the strained broth through a wire sieve before putting it back in the (wiped out) dutch oven pan.

MAKE MATZO BALLS

We picked up a box of easy to use matzo ball soup mix at Safeway during our grocery run. Because Passover is coming, it was particularly easy to find. But year-round it’s available in your grocery store and such an easy way to make and enjoy a hearty soup.

Simply combine the powdered mix with eggs and oil per the instructions and let the dough sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You can do this while the stock heats back up.

We added a few cups of Signature Farms carrot chips we got in the produce department to the soup before forming the matzo mix into balls and carefully placing them in the simmering broth. Those cook for about 20 minutes until tender and then you’re ready to eat!

A cast iron dutch oven filled with chicken bones and water, simmering for stock. — Cover the chicken bones with water to make stock

A row of matzo balls on a cutting board ready to be simmered. — Cover the chicken bones with water to make stock

STEP-BY-STEP

Unwrap chicken and place on a cutting board.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
In a bowl, combine the Signature Select Lemon Pepper seasoning with the kosher salt.
Add the orange zest and stir to combine.
Generously season the chicken all over and inside the cavity with the seasoning mixture, patting to coat.
Place the chicken, breast side down, on a wire rack over a cookie sheet or tray.
Place the tray in the fridge, unwrapped, for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
About 90 minutes before serving, preheat the Traeger grill to 325*.
Remove the chicken from the fridge.
Add halved lemons to the center cavity of the chicken.
Insert a wireless thermometer probe in the thickest part of the chicken breast.
Place the chicken, breast side up, on the grill grates and close the lid.
Allow the chicken to cook for about 45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160*.
Remove the chicken from the grill and tent loosely with foil while the carry-over cook reaches 165*.
Using a sharp knife and cutting board, slice the meat away from the bones and break down the chicken as you desire.
Save the bones and carcass for matzo ball soup!
Serve your Traeger roasted spring chicken with seasonal vegetables and enjoy.

A hand holding a glass bowl of dry brine made of Lemon Pepper seasoning, kosher salt and citrus zest. — Dry brine with extra salt and citrus zest

ALTERNATE RECIPES/PRODUCT LINKS

Here are some other terrific chicken recipes cooked up on the Traeger. These will all add a spring to your step with the changing of the seasons:

Products used in this cook:

Safeway for U : Safeway for U™ is their loyalty program that offers personalized deals, digital coupons, rewards, and so much more. It’s easy (and free) to become a member of Safeway for U™.
Traeger Grills
Meater Thermometers

As the aroma of Traeger Roasted Spring Chicken fills the air, it’s clear that springtime dining has never been more delicious. So fire up your Traeger grill, gather your loved ones, and savor the flavors of the season with this mouthwatering dish. And as you enjoy this flavorful chicken, don’t forget to save the bones for making homemade matzo ball soup, a cherished Passover tradition in many Jewish families. Share your grilling and cooking adventures with us on social media using #TraegerSpringChicken and #PassoverTradition!