Grilled Beer Can Chicken turns out juicy and tender every time and is one of the easiest ways to grill a whole chicken!

I think we should all pause before we get started here to talk about how beautiful that bird in the picture is.  Golden, succulent, and just gorgeous, am I right?

Okay, now that we've all successfully oogled the bird, let's talk about it.  May I introduce you to Grilled Beer Can Chicken!  This fun, easy recipe is going to change the way you look at grilling chicken forever!

Have you ever been hesitant to grill chicken?  Like, you're afraid that if you cut into it it's going to be pink so you waaaaay overcook it and end up with a dried out, burnt hunk of meat?  Yeah, I think it's safe to say we've all been there.  And this recipe uses a whole chicken which turns things up a notch in the intimidating department.

I'm here to say, don't fear, friends!  This recipe will put an end to any fears you may have about grilling chicken.

All you need for this recipe is a half a beer (lucky you, you get to drink the other half 😉) and a whole chicken.  Rub that chicken down with some oil, sprinkle it with some salt and pepper, and shove a beer can up its wazoo.  You can't help but laugh a little as you're preparing this one!

You can get a fancy stand to balance the chicken, but I find that the beer can and the chicken's legs are stable enough to get the job done.  The only thing you need is patience...this is a no-peek recipe.  That means once you close that grill lid, you MUST resist the urge to check if your precious chicken is browning up just how you want it to.  It will.  Trust me, it will.

Once it's finally time to take this baby off the grill, the can will slide ride out (be careful to not to spill the beer left in the can!) and you will have tender, juicy, delicious chicken for the whole fam.  So darn easy.

Looking for more grilling inspiration?  Check out some of my other favorite grilled chicken recipes from the archives:

Left: The Best Dry-Rubbed Grilled Chicken, Right: BLT Grilled Chicken Tacos

I promise, once you give this recipe a try, you will want to make it again and again!  If you try it, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below.  Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings

Grilled Beer Can Chicken

Grilled Beer Can Chicken turns out juicy and tender every time and is one of the easiest ways to grill a whole chicken!

  prep time: 5 MINcook time: 1 HOURtotal time: 1 HOUR 5 MIN 

INGREDIENTS

1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken
1 tablespoon oil
kosher salt
black pepper
1 can beer

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Remove neck and giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken on all sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Drink half of the beer (or discard). Place the beer can into the cavity of the chicken.

3. Carefully balance the chicken on the grill over indirect heat. (Indirect heat means that one side of the grill is on and one side of the grill is off. You want the chicken to be placed the side of the grill that is off.) Grill on medium-high heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes with the grill lid closed. (DO NOT PEEK!)

4. Test for doneness (165 degrees F and the juices running clear) and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES

Author: Becky

Nutrition data should not be considered a guarantee. Please see our full Nutrition Data Disclosure.