Beer can chicken is our favorite way to cook chicken on the grill. Every time we use this recipe to cook a whole chicken, it turns out moist and delicious. I always hope to have leftovers, but we rarely do!
Living in Las Vegas we are lucky enough to be able to use our outdoor grill year round. One of my favorite foods to cook on the grill, though, is Beer Can Chicken. The skin comes out crisp on all sides and the meat is perfectly moist. Don’t let the “beer” can part fool you! You can use any kind of liquid you’d like – wine, water, soda, chicken broth, etc.
Don’t want to grill? You can also make this in your slow cooker! Check out our Slow Cooker Beer Can Chicken Recipe!
In a small bowl, make your rub. We use olive oil and spices, but any oil or even melted butter will work. We generally use the same spices, but feel free to use your favorites. Even just salt and pepper alone results in a delicious grilled chicken.
Prepare your chicken by removing all the innards. Wash and pat dry, if you want. Place the chicken on a platter.
The best way to get flavor in the chicken is to get the rub under the skin. Very gently, pull the skin up away from the breast meat and use your fingers to loosen the skin.
Brush the rub all over the chicken, making sure to get the rub between the loosened skin and the breast meat.
We use one of these chicken stands in a baking pan to grill our beer can chicken. But you can also just prop the chicken up and get to stand on it’s own around the can.
Put the chicken over the can, and then put off heat on the grill. The two burners on the left are on, but the burners under the chicken are off.
Cook for 60-90 minutes, rotating the chicken every 15 minutes so that all sides of the skin get nice and crispy. The chicken is done around 180 degrees internal temperature and the juices are running clear.
Be careful when lifting the bird off the can as the chicken will be falling part. It usually takes two of us to remove the can. You may want to let it cool a bit before attempting to remove the can.
Cut the chicken up and serve! We like to eat ours with ranch potatoes and cucumber salad.
Beer Can Chicken on the Grill
Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound First Street Whole chicken
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 can of beer, root beer, soda, chicken broth or whatever you want
Instructions
- Remove innards and neck from chicken and pat dry.
- In a small bowl mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, and parsley. Use as much as you like for each flavor, about equal amounts, but watch the salt!
- Put the chicken on a platter and carefully use your fingers to loosen the skin on the breast area and pull it gently away from the meat.
Brush the olive oil mixture underneath the skin and on to the meat, being careful not to tear the skin. - Continue to use about half the olive oil on the top of the chicken.
- Pour out half the liquid from your canned beverage. Set can inside metal holder, if you have one. Otherwise, put chicken over can, balance it and place in a rimmed baking container.
- Use the rest of the olive oil mixture and brush on to the back half of the chicken, the sides and then dump any remaining oil in to the chicken cavity.
- Turn on the heat on only one side of your grill to high and allow grill to warm up for about 10-15 minutes. Then turn heat down to medium-high.
- Place chicken on the OTHER SIDE of the grill (cook it off heat). Close the top of the grill.
- Rotate the chicken 1/4 turn every 15 minutes so that the sides of chicken are evenly crisped. Chicken is done when internal temperature reads 180 degrees on a meat thermometer. This takes about 60-90 minutes, depending on how hot the grill is.
Beer can chicken is so irresistible! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
This looks amazing! However, I don’t have an outdoor grill. Would it be possible to cook this on a charcoal bbq, or in the kitchen oven maybe? I’d love to try it!
Liz x
We did it on our charcoal grill, years ago. Just cook it on indirect heat – so maybe put the charcoal on one half of the grill and the chicken on the other?
I love grilling chicken like this! Thanks for sharing again with us at the #WWDParty – have a wonderful weekend.
I have always been nervous to try this. You have motivated me to do it! It looks so delicious especially now that the weather has warmed up some.
You’ll love it! Indirect heat and low and slow and it’ll be the best chicken you’ve ever cooked.
I would have never thought of this. We always have beer cans laying around so I am definitely gonna try it out next time we are grilling! Awesome idea!
It’s so good! The chicken turns out so moist. Better than a store bought rotisserie!
Yummy, yummy, yummy. Pinned to try…thanks for sharing. found at the scoop linky. Have a wonderful week.
You, too Rachel!
wow! great idea. I like chicken recipes. Its another good recipe.
Beer can chicken with a beer can not the safest way you do not know about the BPA the can is coated with or the paint that is on the outside. A safer way is to get one of the units designed for this out of stainless steel and put your beer in the steam unit it has safe and easy to clean.
By the way good article
Thanks, Craig. More often than not we actually use a glass beer bottle because that’s what we have on hand. I’ll have to look in to the gadget you mention.
Just wanted to let you know your chicken is one of the features this week at All Things Pretty! Thank you for linking up!
Mmmm, I love beer can chicken! My mom loves to grill and makes it all the time with a dark beer like Negra Modelo or something similar. Yum! In case you didn’t see it earlier, I featured this today on my blog, so stop by and grab a Featured button if you don’t already have one! http://practicallyfunctional.net/2013/04/7-creative-ideas-projects-crafts-recipes-and-more/
Thanks, Jessi! I want to try it with some sodas!
Your recipe is awesome and thank you so much for sharing it at the table with Full Plate Thursday.
Hope to see you again soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks for stopping by!
This is so cool! Pinned it! Thanks for linking up at All Things Pretty!
Thanks, Kathy!
I have always wanted to try grilling chicken this way but never have! I am definately going to do it soon because your photos have me drooling Camille! Oh and get me a few of those chickens at your Smart & Final store! We don’t have that store here but the stores we do have here have whole chickens “on sale” at .98/ lb! Thanks for sharing this at the party this week. I am featuring it on my Facebook page too!
Don’t forget to close the grill lid…the instructions didn’t say that, but it’s critical.
It is critical! It’s in Step 10. š Thanks for stopping by!
To the person who gave this discription on preparing the beer can chicken….. You are Awesome! I Loved how you also gave other options with each of your directions. Thank you so much for such a wonderful yummy looking dish. I can’t wait to try this on my BBQ this weekend.
Thank you, Sherri! I want to try it with Dr. Pepper and a sweeter barbecue rub! š
Try it with a turkey, you will never cook another one the old-fashion way. A big can of Fosters beer works well. It is the most moist turkey ever (and for you skin lovers, 360 degrees of crispy skin.)
What a GREAT idea! I actually have a smallish turkey in the freezer so we may just have to try that soon.
In my neck of the woods, we call this drunkin chicken. When the chicken falls over, it’s done. it’s always a huge hit here too!
LOL! I love it!! š
Our family loves beer can chicken! You use different spices than I do, so I can’t wait to try out your recipe. I haven’t made chicken this way in a while, so we might be having this very soon. Thanks for stopping by The Hill Hangout! Love your site!