so what is the best handgun to carry while smoking a chicken?
-C
Depends on what you mean by "smoking a chicken".
If it involves wrapping a large zig-zag around said chicken, I'd recommend staying away from the firearms.
If you mean blasting one at long range and you just need backup, I'd say .44 mag at the least. If you miss, they might charge, and it could get ugly.
If you're just making a dead one tasty, anything in polished chrome or stainless with mother-of-pearl should work nicely. It should be carried in your funkiest holster - contrasting stitching, embossed topless female shapes, fringe, snakeskin, fur, rhinestones - everybody has one of these . . . don't they?