Beer Can Chicken is one of those summer time recipes that will become one of your BBQ favourites! Use your favourite can of beer or even soda to make this quick and simple chicken recipe.
Summer has finally arrived and it is time to start trying all those barbeque recipes you’ve been saving. This is one chicken recipe you’ll try and make time and time again. It makes the most incredibly moist, tender chicken. I love this recipe for having guests over for a backyard barbeque because you aren’t stuck in front of the grill while everyone else is enjoying cool cold drinks. Two great side dishes to serve with beer can chicken are Bacon Kale Potato Salad or refreshing Cucumber Watermelon Salad.
This recipe is usually called beer can chicken, but if you are from Saskatchewan you would refer to it as Beer Butt Chicken, and to pay homage to my hometown of Humboldt, Saskatchewan I have made this recipe with Pilsner beer. Don’t have beer, no worries, use any kind of soda, root beer tastes great, but any kind of soda will work.
Beer Can Chicken
Beer Can Chicken is one of those summer time recipes that will become one of your BBQ favourites!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 can favourite beer
- 1 medium onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat barbeque.
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Coat chicken with olive oil.
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Mix together all the spices
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Rub 1/2 of spice mixture all over chicken, inside as well.
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Drink about 1/2 of the can of beer, then put other 1/2 of spice mix into beer can.
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Put chopped onion into beer can.
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Put beer into chicken rack then push chicken butt 1/2 way down beer can. (see pic below)
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Place chicken rack on old cookie sheet covered with foil.
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Roast on barbeque, medium heat, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 185 degrees; about 1 hour depending on the size of chicken.
Recipe Notes
you can even use cola or root beer instead of beer!
I love this rack for making Beer Can Chicken with the built in dip tray. check it out here
Spice mix
Rub olive oil over chicken then cover with spice mix
Very important step: drink 1/2 of the beer, put any remaining spices into beer can.
Place 1/2 full beer can into holder, then push chicken down on top, roast until chicken reaches 185 degrees.
Love doing beer can chickens, although it has been awhile. Yours looks amazing.
A tip, take it for what its worth, but try seperating the skin from the breast (carefully, you don’t want to tear it) and then adding some of your spice under the skin directly onto the breast. Gives it just a little extra flavor.
I will have to try that, beer can chicken certainly is a guaranteed recipe for great tasting chicken.
I’ve never tried to make chicken this way before. Looks delicious!!
Be sure to try it, you will not believe the flavor and tenderness
Does the beer flavour the chicken? Via evaporation I guess? But I think it would be subtle as the beer actually never touched the chicken.
The beer taste is very subtle, the flavours that come through are from the various spices used and the onion.The beer is the key to making incredibly moist chicken.
Can this be done in the oven?
Cassie, I have never done it in the oven, but I don’t think if would work well as the dripping would probably smoke up and it just doesn’t cook the same as a barbeque.
i’ve done it in the oven..works very well
Just wondering for those that have tried this in the oven, does it make a mess ??
Yum, I love beer can chicken!!!
It does work in the oven very nicely. I’ve done it this way many, many times. Just remember to put the beer can or the chicken holder in a pan to catch the drippings. I have used a cast iron skillet to hold the bird; just turn the bird periodically to brown all sides.
thanks for answering that question queenbe123, much appreciated 🙂
Make sure you add about 4oz of Tabasco sauce to the beer. After cooking, remove can and pour contents into pan and allow cut out chicken to soak for extra flavor.
Great idea Frank, thanks
Tried this last night for the first time, absolutely amazing! I also added wood chips in a smoker box on the grill during the cook. Will definitely be using this recipe in the future.
Phil, Wood chips would add some great flavour! thank you.