Beer Can Chicken Recipe

4.60 from 10 votes

Beer can chicken is wonderfully moist and flavorful! A whole chicken is coated in the best beer can chicken seasoning rub and grilled to tender, juicy perfection!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Rest Time10

Total Time1 35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Grill

Ingredients

1 (4-pound) whole chicken *
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces beer 1 can, room temperature**

Seasoning Rub:

2 tablespoons ground paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375-450°F).
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
2 tablespoons ground paprika, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then rub olive oil over the whole chicken and under the skin.
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sprinkle the seasoning generously and rub it into and under the skin. Flip it over, and add more oil and seasoning to cover the entire bird.
Pour out about half of the beer. The can shouldn't be completely full while cooking.
12 ounces beer
Lower the seasoned chicken over the top of the beer can.
Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and close the lid. Cook for 1 hour, undisturbed.
At the 1-hour mark, begin checking the temperature every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F.
Carefully transfer the chicken and can to a baking tray, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes.
Carve chicken pieces and serve.

Video

Notes

*This recipe makes the perfect amount of beer can chicken seasoning for a bird from 3.5-5 pounds! I don’t recommend using a chicken larger than 5 pounds because the beer can may not be able to adequately support a bigger bird.

**While I love beer, just about anything that comes in a can will work here. Soda, juice, or even canned veggies make a great substitute. I used an IPA.

Becky's Top Tips:

Be sure to empty some of the beer from the can--it should only be half full when you place the chicken over it.
To get the chicken to stand up, hold the chicken upright with the legs pointing down, place the opened beer can deep in the cavity, and use the chicken's legs to support it like a tripod. It may take a little bit of adjustment to get the balance right!
If using canned veggies/beans instead of beer, remove the label before cooking, and bring the chicken juice-soaked veggies or beans to a boil on the stovetop at the end to make a tasty side.
Let the chicken rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes before carving. This will help to make it extra juicy and flavorful.
The beer can chicken seasoning can be used as an all-around dry rub on any cut of chicken with any cooking method.

Oven Instructions: Preheat your oven to 350°F and place the seasoned beer can chicken in a large roasting pan. Bake the chicken until the juices run clear and the breasts register 165°F, about 65 minutes. I recommend adjusting the oven racks to the topmost and bottom-most positions (or removing the top rack entirely) to accommodate the bird sitting on the beer can.

Storage: Store beer can chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition