The best way to BBQ a whole chicken, is Beer Can Chicken on the grill! This chicken is moist and super delicious and the entire chicken is cooked over a can of beer.
Add fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon for additional flavor.
Easy grilled chicken
There's nothing better than chicken cooked outside on the grill. Grilling a whole chicken can be rewarding and a bit challenging too.
Grilling chicken can sometimes be messy with lots of flare-ups on the grill. This beer can chicken is as easy as it gets and because it's cooked over indirect heat, there aren't any flare-ups on the grill.
The beer in the can keeps the chicken nice and moist. I add extra flavors like lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs. They add a lot of flavor!
Grilling a whole chicken takes a bit of time, but it's mostly just hands-off cooking time and the results are amazing. It's perfect for serving for dinner and leftovers are always put to good use.
I have a nifty stand that I use that fits a beer can. The chicken then fits over the top of the can. You can do this without the stand, but you do risk having your chicken fall over while cooking.
If you're looking for a way to cook a whole chicken in the oven, check out this delicious roasted chicken recipe!
Key ingredients
Ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Whole chicken - look for a whole chicken that weighs between 4-5 pounds
- Beer - any kind will work but it needs to be in a can, not a bottle. I usually use a lighter pilsner-style beer.
- Lemon - a whole, fresh lemon
- Garlic - whole garlic cloves
- Fresh herbs - thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage. Use all or just one or two.
Step-by-step directions
How to make it
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Turn on the grill so it is preheated
- Rinse chicken and be certain to remove any giblets or anything else in the cavity
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel
- Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper
- Place half a lemon and fresh herbs into the cavity of the chicken
- Empty half of the beer from a beer can
- Place garlic cloves in beer can and place can in stand
- Put chicken on a beer can with beer can inserted into the cavity
- Rub the chicken skin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Place on a preheated gas grill on indirect heat. I turn off the middle burner on my grill and leave the two side burners on medium heat. Close lid to grill. Try to maintain a grill temperature of 325-350°F.
- Cook for about 1 ½ hours until an internal meat thermometer registers 165°F.
- Remove from heat and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Let rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.
- Remove chicken from beer can and stand. Slice and serve
Recipe tips
- Only fill the cavity of your bird halfway full with lemon and herbs. The bird has to have enough space to sit on the can of beer.
- Keep the lid down on your grill. Only open when you need to check your chicken. Each time you open the grill, you lose heat.
- Use indirect heat. The burner directly under the chicken should be in the off position
- If your grill has uneven heat, rotate chicken every 30 minutes so all areas of the chicken is exposed to the hotter areas
- Use a thermometer to determine if your chicken is cooked through. The chicken should register at least 165°F inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Be certain to allow your chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes when removing from the heat and before removing from the beer can.
- It can be helpful to have two people help when removing the chicken from the can. Use a clean towel to gently grab the chicken while the other person uses oven mitts to hold the stand.
Frequently asked questions
Any type of beer in a can works perfectly for beer can chicken. We tend to use a light pilsner beer like a PBR or Coors.
Try to find a chicken that is between 4-5 pounds. If you use a smaller chicken, you'll want to reduce the cooking time.
We've used larger, but just be certain that the chicken fits on your grill with the lid closed. You'll also need to increase the cooking time.
Cooking time is approximately 1 ½ hours, but the cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, your grill, and the conditions outdoors (wind, temperature, weather.)
Recipe variations
I have also made this chicken without beer. Sounds crazy since its name is beer can chicken. What you need is a clean can filled halfway with a liquid. Some options include:
- White wine
- Grape juice
- Apple juice
- Chicken stock
- Water
Adding the lemon and herbs is also optional. They do add a bit of flavor, but the chicken is still delicious without them.
Serving Suggestions
- Roasted Potatoes
- Grilled Baby Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Mac and Cheese
- Santa Maria Beans
- Green Bean Almondine
- Homemade Dinner Rolls
- Pasta and Pea Salad
- Avocado Corn Salad
You might also want to check out this post that has a whole collection of delicious side dishes, What to Serve with BBQ Chicken.
Any leftover chicken can be used in this chicken pasta bake, chicken wraps, or chicken salad.
Need another way to cook a whole chicken? Check out this recipe for a Smoked Whole Chicken.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
If you loved this recipe you'll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my grilling recipes!
Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ can of beer
- 2 clove garlic
- ½ lemon
- 4 sprigs fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano or sage)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350°F.
- Remove giblets from chicken and rinse well. Dry outside of chicken with a paper towel.
- Mix salt, pepper and thyme together.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Sprinkle some of the seasoning inside bird cavity.1 whole chicken
- Open and empty the beer can half way.½ can of beer
- Put garlic cloves inside can. If cloves are too large, they can be cut to fit inside can. Place can in a beer can chicken stand.2 clove garlic
- Place lemon half and fresh herbs inside cavity of chicken.½ lemon, 4 sprigs fresh herbs
- Slide chicken cavity over beer can. Rub chicken with olive oil and sprinkle remaining salt mixture over the entire skin.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Place on a preheated gas grill on indirect heat. I turn off the middle burner on my grill and leave the two side burners on medium heat. Close lid to grill. Try to maintain a grill temperature of 325-350°F.
- Cook for about 1 ½ hours until an internal meat thermometer registers 165°F.
- Remove from heat and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Let rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.
- Remove chicken from beer can and stand. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Only fill the cavity of your bird halfway full with the lemon and herbs. The bird has to have enough space to sit on the can of beer.
- Keep the lid down on your grill. Only open when you need to check your chicken. Each time you open the grill, you lose heat.
- Use indirect heat. The burner directly under the chicken should be in the off position
- If your grill has uneven heat, rotate chicken every 30 minutes so all areas of the chicken is exposed to the hotter areas
- Use a thermometer to determine if your chicken is cooked through. The chicken should register at least 165°F inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Be certain to allow your chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes when removing from the heat and before removing from the beer can.
- It can be helpful to have two people help when removing the chicken from the can. Use a clean towel to gently grab the chicken while the other person uses oven mitts to hold the stand.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Adina says
This is something I've been wanting to try for years, but somehow it always seemed so intimidating. I am drooling here...
Kathy says
Super easy to make! Just go for it....and go ahead and drool!
Balvinder says
I heard about beer can chicken, saw it for the first time. My husband would love this.
Ashley says
My husband has alwayssss wanted to try this! And yet every summer we somehow always forget! Too fun!
Kathy says
This is the summer to try it! Why wait for summer...try it this weekend! 🙂
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Kathy, your bird is gorgeous! And from a grill - wow! I've heard of beer can chicken from an oven - but your version inspires me to experiment with my grill more - and thanks for the tip about the wiggle amount of the chicken leg as a measure of it's doneness!
Kathy says
I've certainly done beer can chicken on the grill, but I've never heard of it in the oven! How crazy is that?
GiGi Eats says
YES!! Loveeee getting my chicken nice and drunk!
Kathy says
Ha! It certainly adds a ton of flavor!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
Props to you for raising your own chickens and butchering them. I bet the meat is a thousand times better.
Kathy says
Homegrown birds are great, but the best part for me is knowing where our meat has come from and how it was handled.
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
Talk about mindful eating... raising and butchering your own birds. I like how you guys live with ties to nature.... I love beer can chicken and haven't made it in aaaaages. You have made me hungry for it. Thanks for sharing a great recipe and grill-on!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
A friend of mine used to make these all the time and I had never tried hers or made it myself, but I love chicken done every which way and I absolutely need to try this! Looks and sounds like it would be so moist and delicious!
Kathy says
Give it a try...It will be another chicken dish you are going to love!