Keys to the Perfect Beer Can Chicken

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

Preheat grill or oven to 300º
Remove the giblets, rinse chicken, & pat dry. (Tip: Use one hand for handling chicken and keep the other one clean for applying seasonings.)
Spray chicken with cooking spray or olive oil. (This helps brown the skin and helps the seasoning stick.) Then sprinkle generously with seasoned salt and your favorite barbecue rub. (Check out Dad’s BBQ Rub recipe, and our homemade Seasoned Salt recipe.) Press the seasonings into the chicken to help them stick.
Inject chicken with a mixture of ½ cup chicken broth (or water) and 1 tbsp seasoning salt.

Step 2: Prepare The Beer

Open a beer, drink half. Puncture the top with a can opener to open it up more. Add about ½ tsp of seasoned salt to the beer – it will foam up.
Place the beer can on an oven-safe pan (cast-iron skillets work great). Place the chicken on top of the beer can. Make sure it’s sturdy, then pull the wings behind the neck. If you knocked off any seasoning in the process, add a bit more so there are no bare spots.
Place the pan in the oven or on the grill. If grilling, place on indirect heat.

Step 3: Leave it Alone!

Close the lid on the grill or door on the oven. Cook at 300º for 1 hour. Leave it alone.
I repeat, leave it alone. This is important because every time you open it, you will release steam and heat. It will turn out much better if you just ignore it for the full hour. Easy, right?!

Step 4: Check the Chicken & Add Veggies

When the hour is up, go ahead and check on that beautiful bird. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. This should give you a better idea how long you need to keep cooking. (As you can see from the picture, ours was only at 120º in the breast. You want it to get to 165º before removing it from the grill.)
Optional: to keep the chicken extra-juicy, spray it with oil, water, fruit juice, or a combination. We like to use half water, half apple cider vinegar, but you can use whatever you have lying around.
If the skin is browning too quickly, use aluminum foil to tent the chicken. This will help prevent it from burning but allow the chicken to continue cooking.
Add veggies and ½ cup broth (or water) to the skillet. Sprinkle with seasoned salt – but go easy. Some of the seasoning from the chicken will end up on the veggies, so it’s better to under-season them for now.

Step 5: Finish Cooking

Rotate the pan. Replace the lid and continue cooking for another 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until finished. The breast should be at least 165º and the thigh 175º.
Remove the chicken when it is done. Let it rest 15-20 minutes before carving.
If the veggies are not completely finished when you remove the chicken, continue cooking them while the chicken rests. (If they are dry when you check the chicken, add more broth/water.)

Beer Can Chicken

This Beer Can Chicken requires minimal effort, and is a foolproof way to get juicy, crispy chicken every time. Cook this one-pan meal on the grill or in the oven for an easy meal and great leftovers.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings people

Equipment

large cast iron skillet or other oven proof pan
Turkey injector

Ingredients

1 whole chicken ours was about 6 lbs
2-3 large carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 onion, sliced
3 medium potatoes, diced
½ bag brussels sprouts, halved
3-4 tbsp Seasoned Salt or your favorite brand
2-3 tbsp Dad's BBQ Rub or your favorite rub
½ can beer whatever kind you like -see notes for alternatives
1 cup low sodium chicken broth see notes for alternatives

Instructions

Preaheat oven or grill to 300º
Remove giblets, rinse chicken, and pat dry. Spray with cooking spray or olive oil. Inject with mixture of 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1 tbsp seasoned salt.*
Add extra holes to the top of a half-empty beer can. Add 1/2 tsp seasoned salt to the can. Place the can on a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan), and place the chicken on top. Make sure it is sturdy, then pull the wings behind the neck. Re-season parts of the chicken if necessary.
Place in the oven or on the grill. If grilling, place over indirect heat. Close the oven or grill lid and let it cook for an hour. (Don't check on it during this time so it stays moist.) Meanwhile, cut up vegetables.
After 1 hour, check on the chicken. Spray with a mix of 1/2 water, 1/2 apple cider vinegar to keep moist. (See notes for alternatives.) If the skin is browning too quickly, create a tent with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning while the chicken continues to cook.
Add vegetables and 1/2 cup broth (or water) to the pan. Season lightly. Some seasoning will drip from the chicken, so you don't want to overdo it. Replace the lid and continue cooking about 45 min – 1 hour, depending on the size of the chicken.
Chicken is ready when the breast is 165º. Remove chicken from heat and let it rest 15-20 minutes before carving. If the vegetables are not completely finished when the chicken is, continue cooking them while the chicken rests.

Notes

*If you don’t have beer, fill an empty beer or soda can halfway with vegetable broth or water instead. The key is to find a can about the same size & shape, without a label on it.

*It’s not necessary to inject the chicken, but it does keep it juicier.

*Use whatever vegetables you have on hand! Zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, etc. would all be delicious. Just be sure to add softer vegetables later since they cook faster.

*Instead of chicken broth, you can use vegetable broth, or even water, for injecting the chicken and cooking the vegetables.

Course Dinner • meal prep

Cuisine American

Keyword barbeque • bbq • beer • grilled chicken • grilled vegetables • one-pan meal