The Best Beer Can Chicken Recipe
The best beer can chicken recipe is a fun way to cook a whole chicken. Whether you make this recipe on the grill or in the oven, it’s a flavorful, moist meat that falls off the bone. The skin is full of seasoning and crispy. Yet, it is easy to prepare and even easier to cook.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 153kcal
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Kitchen Essentials
Beer Can Chicken
Grill Baskets
Portable Gas Grill
Grill Tools
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Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken 5 pound
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Canola oil or Melted butter
- 1 Can Beer 3/4 full at room temperature
Dry Spice Rub
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme or Dried Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or oven to a medium-high heat 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold running water. Remove any giblets and neck from the inside. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the dry rub adhere to the chicken skin better. Set the chicken aside
- In a small bowl, prepare the dry spice rub. Combine the oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, dried thyme, paprika, and chili powder.
- Drizzle the oil on the outside of the chicken and rub the spices all over the chicken including the inside chicken cavity.
- Next open the beer and pour our 1/4 of the can.
- Place the open can of beer in a beer can chicken holder and place the holder on a baking sheet. Next lower the chicken over the can, placing the open cavity of the chicken on top of the beer can. The chicken should be sitting upright at this point.
- Oven baking instructions. Place the chicken on the beer can on the baking sheet into the oven. Roast for approximately 1 hour. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Continue roasting and checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Gas grilling instructions. Once the grill has been preheated, turn off one grill burner. Place the chicken standing on the can in this area to grill over indirect heat. Reduce the heat to a medium temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Close the grill and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Continue roasting and checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Charcoal grilling instructions. If you are using a charcoal grill, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. Once the coals are ready, place the chicken over the side without the charcoal for indirect cooking. Close the grill and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Continue roasting and checking the internal temperature every 10 minutes until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For extra crispy skin when grilling, turn the heat up to high 425 degrees Fahrenheit and let it cook for 10 minutes. The result is a delicious juicy meat with a flavorful and crispy skin.
- Lift the chicken, beer can still inside, and move it to a tray. No matter which cooking method is being used, cover the chicken with a sheet of aluminum foil and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving. This will help seal the juices inside. Quarter the chicken with a meat knife and serve.
Notes
The baking time will vary based on the size of your chicken. This recipe is for a 5-pound chicken. If yours weighs less, the cooking time will be less.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 607mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 348IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg