Beer Can Chicken is my go-to method for cooking a whole chicken on the grill. My husband introduced me to this method when we first started dating and we’ve perfected it over the years.
Beer Can Chicken
My method for using indirect heat, cooks a perfectly juicy chicken every single time. I’ve added just the right aromatics to the chicken that give the perfect amount of flavor and I have several variations so you can make this chicken your own.
Beer Can Chicken Recipe 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.
How to make Beer Can Chicken
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
10. 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.
11. Cook for about 1 ½ hours until an internal meat thermometer registers 165°F.
12. Remove from heat and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Let rest for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.
13. Remove chicken from beer can and stand. Slice and serve
Beer Can Chicken on the Grill 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
I love adding fresh lemon and herbs. You could also use a lime or an orange or add a quartered onion to the cavity of the chicken.
Beer Can Chicken Grill 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.
Serving Beer Can Chicken
- 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.
How to Store Leftover Beer Chicken
Leftover Beer Can Chicken should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and used within 3-4 days. The chicken can be left on the carcass or sliced and refrigerate just the meat.
FAQs for Beer Can Chicken on Grill
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, precipitation.)
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 On the Grill
Equipment
- Beer Can Chicken Stand
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 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!
Dawn at Girl Heart Food says
Wiggle a leg...hahaha 🙂 I love beer can chicken, so moist! So awesome that you raise your own chickens. This sounds like the perfect recipe for when we use our new bbq. YUM!!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
I have never had beer can chicken, Kathy. This looks fantastic. My husband would love this!
Kathy says
It's a fun, delicious way to cook a whole chicken!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Whaaat? Why would you ever make beer can chicken without beer? Maybe I'm biased..... 🙂 I have one of those stands too and it makes things easier. Your chicken looks awesome!
Kathy says
It's crazy, but true....maybe we just need to give it a different name on those times we don't use beer!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
This is my kind of recipe Kathy! Beer and chicken. It doesn't get any better than that! lol! Honesty, I've never made a beer can chicken and I think it's about time. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Kathy says
It is time to get that chicken and beer on the grill!
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
I've been tempted to make beer can chicken for SO long - I'm taking the plunge with your recipe!
Kathy says
Dive right on in....no more waiting!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Keep the grilling trend going, Kathy, because I am loooving what you are sharing! Beer can chicken reminds me of my mother, because she use to always make it and yours looks delicious! Plus there is something about a chicken standing up on a beer can that just makes me giggle. 🙂 Love it. Cheers, friend!
Kathy says
It makes me laugh too! So funny to see that chicken just sitting there...
Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says
These pics just made me laugh Kathy! So creative. We LOVE chicken here. And this looks delicious. I don't even drink, but alcohol and meat is so dang good. Simple and fun, our neighbors are gonna get a kick out of this one.
Kathy says
The chicken is yummy and the pictures are funny. They look like a funky little person sitting on a can. I just need to get the bird to cross it's legs!
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
What a clever idea! I never heard of that technique before. I have a Weber grill- I'm not sure if my chicken would stand up alright when I close the lid, but I cold try. I am sure you are proficient at cutting up a whole chicken. Even though we did this many times at the Cordon Bleu school, I always had difficulty separating the thigh from the drum stick in a 'clean' manner.
Kathy says
You do want to make certain your grill is tall enough. I've had one or two really big chickens that kiss the top of the grill. You do want a little clearance.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I have never tried beer can chicken Kathy, but I have always heard good things about it! My brother-in-law in Texas always cooks it that way. I definitely need to give it a try!
Kathy says
It's a fun way to cook up a whole chicken...plus it is so moist.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
We are definitely going to try this method Kathy, it looks so moist and delicious!!!!! We are getting a few grilling days here and there, in between the white stuff. Crazy!!!