This Beer Can Chicken is incredibly delicious, juicy and moist. This chicken is perfectly seasoned with herbs and spices and baked to a crispy perfection. The steam from the beer creates an unbelievably moist chicken, you’ll love it from the very first bite.
Beer Can Chicken
I started making beer can chicken a few years ago and ever since then it’s been a family favorite. I can honestly say that this chicken is probably the most juicy and delicious chicken and a million times better than the roasted chickens you get at the grocery store. The steam from the beer creates an amazing juicy chicken.
This chicken is roasted at a pretty high temperature of 425 F degrees, it gets nice and crispy all around, no more soggy chicken on the bottom. Because this chicken stands up on the beer can, it cooks evenly all around giving you crispy skin and juicy meat.
Ingredients in Beer Can Chicken
- Garlic Powder
- Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Tarragon
- Brown Sugar
- Beer
- Whole Chicken
You don’t want to skip the brown sugar because it caramelizes the skin nicely, it’s so worth it. Don’t worry about it adding too much sweetness, this chicken is still pretty savoury.
How to Make Beer Can Chicken in the Oven
I found this amazing beer can chicken pan at a local kitchen store and I simply love it. You can find it on amazon here. It really is super simple to use it for beer can chicken because the beer can fits nicely inside and then when you place the chicken over it, it’s nice and snug. However, you don’t need a special pan to make this chicken. I have made this in a regular roasting pan.
Start by mixing all the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and rub it in all over. Sprinkle over the rub and use your hands to massage all the rub into all the nooks and crannies.
Open the can of beer and pour about 1/4 of it into the roasting pan and set the can of beer in the center of the roasting pan. Place the chicken upright over the beer can and drizzle the olive oil over the chicken.
Transfer to the oven for baking and you’re done.
How Long to Bake Beer Can Chicken in the Oven
You’ll need to bake it for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes in a 425 F degree preheated oven. To properly test if the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check and make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F/75C degrees.
Grilled Beer Can Chicken
The great thing about this chicken is that you can also grill it and it will turn out just as delicious and amazing.
- Preheat your gas grill to medium-high heat, with all burners lit. Prepare the chicken as stated in the instructions with the spice rub and oil.
- Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer, don’t throw away the other half, drink it!
- Lower the chicken onto the beer can, making sure the chicken sits upright.
- Place the chicken on the grill, use the legs and beer can to support the chicken and keep it stable.
- Cover the grill and let it cook. Check it after an hour, then every 15 minutes or so. As with the oven, it’s best to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken and make sure it reaches 165 F degrees.
What Beer to Use for Beer Can Chicken
Here’s the great news! It doesn’t really matter what beer you use. Use whatever you have in the house. I’ve used all different sort of beers and the result is always the same. There really is no need to be fancy with your beer.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Beer Can Chicken
Want to make the best beer can chicken ever? Follow these tips:
- Don’t be stingy on the spices, use your hands to really rub them in all the nooks and crannies. Your hands are the best tools.
- Use a meat thermometer to check if your chicken is cooked through. This really is the best way to tell. I used it every single time, even though I cook chicken often. It really is the best way to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- After you take the chicken out of the oven or off the grill, do not carve it right away. Let it sit and rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This will ensure the chicken stays juicy and moist.
- Experiment with the spices. You don’t have to use my spice mix combination, use whatever you have in your spice cabinet and what you love.
What to Serve With Beer Can Chicken
Here are some delicious side dishes I love serving my chicken with:
- Mashed potatoes
- Macaroni salad
- Greek salad
- Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Broccoli
How Do You Store Leftover Chicken
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers from this chicken, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 chicken whole, 3 – 4 lb chicken
- 12 ounce beer can, I’ve used Sleeman’s honey brown, Pilsner, Coor’s light
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
For the rub
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon tarragon dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Prepare oven and roasting pan: Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Place a small roasting pan on a baking dish to prevent making a total mess of your oven.
- Prepare chicken: Remove any giblets from the chicken if it has any and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place beer can on roasting pan: Open the can of beer and pour about 1/4 of it into the roasting pan and set the can of beer in the center of the roasting pan.
- Prepare spice rub: Mix all the rub ingredients together in a bowl.
- Season chicken: Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and rub it in all over. Sprinkle over the rub and use your hands to massage all the rub into all the nooks and crannies.
- Place chicken over beer can: Place the chicken upright over the beer can. Use the chicken legs to support its body and it acts like a tripod, preventing the chicken from falling over.
- Bake: Transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. To check to see if it’s done, insert a knife into the thickest part of the thigh, and the juices should run clear. To properly test if the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check and make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F/75C degrees.
- Remove chicken from roasting pan: Carefully lift the chicken off the can. To make this easier, have someone else help you remove the chicken while you hold the beer can.
- Let the chicken rest and carve: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Let it sit for 15 minutes before carving it.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Baking time could vary since each oven is different.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Gravy: Don’t throw away those pan juices, use them to make a delicious gravy. In a small bowl whisk together 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. Add this right in the roasting pan and whisk over medium-high heat. Bring to simmer and cook until liquid thickens. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information assumes a 3.5 lb chicken. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
No other way needed to cook a whole chicken. Flavors are spot on and so is timing. Second time making! Thanks for the great recipe!
Happy you liked it!
How long would you cook a 6.5lb chicken for?
You’ll have to keep an eye on it. Cook it until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F/75C degrees
This was sooooo delicious
Cooked ours on the grill. Turned out perfect. Juicy with delicious flavor. Thanks Jo.
I love this recipe. I’ve made it countless times! I don’t have the special pan, so I use a Pyrex dish. I nestle chopped up root veggies, mushrooms, squash, and red onions around it, so it helps it stand up. The juices flavor the veggies, and you have a complete meal when it’s done. Delicious!
This recipe is amazing. The skin was so flavorful and crisp. I did a 4.5 lb chicken and it took about an hour and a half. One thing I did was cut the top off the beer can. And I didn’t have a special pan, I just put the chicken on the beer can and tied front legs together and it stayed upright just fine. I am doing recipes from this site all this week, I have already made 3 recipes from this site and I bought the cookbook. My family is loving it! Thank you Jo.
Can I use something other than beer? I’m celiac.
Try cider 😊
I am celiac too. I used Omission Pale Ale (gluten removed beer) (which comes in a bottle, but I poured it in a beer can that I washed well. I am sure white wine would work well too!
Hi Joanne, Im Muslim so I am forever looking up subs for ingredients. Chicken stock, equal parts lemon and water, cranberry and white grape juice are what I found. Hope this helps.
My boys and I love this recipe! The chicken is so juicy and the rub is great tasting.
It looks like you tied the legs together after the chicken was on the can. Do you recommend doing that to help keep the chicken in place. Would you suggest trussing the bird to keep wings and all in place?
We just used a bit of butcher twine! We also just tucked the wings back. It’s more for aesthetic and doesn’t have a ton of effect on how the chicken will turn out.
This recipe was a raving success. It was better than the grocery-store store bought rotisserie chickens! First response I had after all the “Yums” was that I was never to bake a chicken the ordinary way again. Thank you, Jo!
That’s amazing! We’re glad everyone loved it.
So easy and SO WONDERFUL!! Added an assortment of potatoes and carrots in the roasting pan around the chicken and cooked for an hour. Everything was delicious, the chicken was juicy and cooked to perfection.
I made this for dinner last night and baked the chicken in my convection oven. It was done after one hour, so I am glad I checked it and removed it from the oven. I followed your ingredients to the letter and the flavor was incredible. My husband raved about how moist, and tender it was.
I saved the liquid from the pan as well as the beer still in the can. Tonight I chunked up the remaining meat, made gravy from the liquid and cooked up Arborio rice. I added the chicken to the gravy and served it over the rice. That turned out great too. I wifi absolutely make this again!!!
That is such an awesome idea for leftovers! We’re so glad you both enjoyed this chicken.
Beer wasn’t an option for me so I tried it with coke instead and it was absolutly amazing! This is my family’s new favorite food. Going to try it with a turkey next!!
Imust have cooked various versions of this hundreds of times over the years on the bbq, but I must admit, I am definitely going to give this version a go in the oven. I have to ask though: what is the pan setup thingy (pan and inset) that you use to stand the chicken on? I can’t seem to find it anywhere and I always make something up on the day when I’m using the bbq.
Click here to check out the pan that we used! It’s amazing for beer can chicken.
Going to try this – thank you! 🐔
And I was trying to find a way to private message you about this but in the image of the ingredients at the top, chicken needs the “h” 😊
I don’t know what you’re talking about! 😉 LOL Hope you like it!