The chicken is seasoned with a homemade rub and then grilled on top of a beer can; the chicken has a crispy, seasoned skin and is tender and delicious. This delicious, juicy Beer Can Chicken on your grill is so easy to make, plus, it’s great to make on the weekend and use it for meal prep as well.
It was all we could do to resist ripping the chicken’s crispy skin right off as it was grilled to the perfect crispiness and juicy interior. Now does this look good or what? Let me tell you that we LOVE Beer Can Chicken on the grill!
Since it was so juicy, I’ll admit that this was my first time making it, but now I’m hooked for life and can’t wait to try other flavors, particularly a tequila lime flavor.
Did you know that if you enjoy the taste of smoked food, you can also make beer can chicken on the smoker?
I used this practical chicken rack, which made balancing the chicken on the grill a breeze.
If you only use the beer can, it can be a little challenging, so read on for my advice from the pros!
How to Make Beer Can Chicken on the Grill | Weber Grills
Beer Can Chicken 🔗
This easy beer can chicken recipe guarantees moist, fall-off-the-bone meat and crispy, ultra flavorful skin.
Prep: 20min
Total: 1h55min
Serving Size: 1
Nutrition Facts: calories 454 calories, Carbohydrate 4 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 428 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 59 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 112 grams protein, Saturated Fat 16 grams saturated fat, servingSize 1, Sodium 1131 milligrams sodium, Sugar 0 grams sugar, Trans Fat 0 grams trans fat, unSaturated Fat 38 grams unsaturated fat
Ingredients:
- 1 opened, half-full can of beer at room temperature (I like to use the tall, skinny cans)
- 1 5-pound whole chicken, neck and giblets removed
- 2 T. canola oil
- 1 T. cumin
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus a bit more sprinkling over entire chicken
- 1 tsp. sweet paprika
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- freshly cracked, coursely-ground black pepper
Instruction:
- Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat, with all burners lit.
- With paper towels, pat chicken as dry as you can. I even go so far as to somewhat squeeze around the legs and wings with the paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, paprika, chili powder, oregano, and black pepper. Rub it all over the chicken and inside the chicken cavity. Use every last bit.
- Place half-full beer can into can attachment of beer can chicken holder. We have a beer can chicken holder similar to this one. Lower the chicken onto the open can, so the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Then tilt the chicken a bit to the side, and sprinkle chicken all over with a bit more kosher salt and a generous sprinkling of just-cracked, coarsely ground black pepper. It works best to have someone tilting and rotating the chicken as you add this final sprinkle of flavor and texture.
- Turn off one grill burner and place chicken over this area, for indirect cooking. Reduce heat to medium and maintain a temperature of 325° to 350° F. Shut the lid and walk away. Let cook, without opening the grill lid, for at least 45 minutes. Let cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes total before inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh. Without touching bone, the thermometer should read 165° F. For every single 5-pound chicken we have grilled, this takes 1 hour and 15 minutes – but grills and temperatures vary, so just keep an eye on the temperature. Now turn heat up to high and let cook for 10 minutes longer, to amp up the crispiness of the skin. Every chicken we have grilled this way has turned out ultra juicy and moist, so we’ve let go of worrying about a dry chicken – we are more interested in producing a crackly, crisp skin at this point. With grilling gloves (we love these!!) or a heavy-duty set of oven mitts, carefully transfer chicken on the chicken holder to a rimmed pan and let rest 10 minutes. Then carefully lift chicken off the beer can, gently wiggling the chicken back and forth if it sticks. Cut chicken into pieces with a meat knife and serve immediately.
FAQ
What is the best liquid to use for beer can chicken?
You can get even more creative and use an empty, clean aluminum can and fill it halfway with chicken stock, wine, or any mixture of liquid and herbs and spices. If you prefer, you can use your favorite soft drink, such as cola or root beer.
Will a beer can chicken fit on a Weber grill?
The best accompaniments for beer can chicken include spicy jalapeo mac and cheese, Mexican street corn slaw, garlic potato salad, cheese-topped onion rings, bacon-wrapped baby potatoes, Marmite roast potatoes, and Greek salad.
How do you clean a chicken with beer can chicken?
The best accompaniments for beer can chicken include spicy jalapeo mac and cheese, Mexican street corn slaw, garlic potato salad, cheese-topped onion rings, bacon-wrapped baby potatoes, Marmite roast potatoes, and Greek salad.