Our Favorite Beer Can Chicken.
Let me tell you about one of the best things I’ve ever done.
And no, it’s not this chicken.
Though I do beg the question of…
how does this photo below make you feel?
Oh hi.
I mean, let’s be real. Can you actually take this seriously today?
(also, if you’re anything like me all you can think of is Monica Gellar with a bird on her head.)
Well. You have to.
Because the ACTUAL best thing I’ve ever done is teach Eddie how to roast a chicken. In fact, he asked me – which certainly means he must have been abducted by aliens that day. And I taught him – which miraculously did not come complete with divorce papers or even an argument – and now… now? He kind of makes them better than I do.
Because I can sometimes be rushed and am all oh just let me add olive oil, salt and pepper while he takes his serious time and adds spices and flavors and twines the legs and what not. Like he does it RIGHT.
Like he does it like he hasn’t been doing it once a week for four years. Because it’s pretty much been that way for me.
Regardless, it’s still one of our favorite things ever. Even if we’re sick of “regular” roasted chicken – I still make one each week because it never fails that I will use it in SOMETHING. Soups, enchiladas, tacos – all the things.
This version is a… “special” version, if you will. Special as in I will usually make a beer can chicken if we just want to eat roasted chicken for dinner with some good old sides. Be boring but not so boring. And if I’m being real, the true reason we enjoy beer can chicken is because ALL of the skin gets crispy and then we don’t fight over it. That’s the worst part about teaching Eddie how to roast a chicken. Now he steals all the skin.
So. What kind of beer did I use? Bud light. Is that trashy? Do you think I’m trashy(er) now? It’s what I had and almost always the beer that I will use in beer can chicken. My other available option was a vanilla porter which I didn’t think would float any boats. Just no.
The other reason I like to use Bud light is because it comes in skinny TALL cans! It means the chicken sits up easier, doesn’t fall down half way through, and in my own secret brain I like to think that it flavors the chicken more but I’m sure that’s debatable and you will tell me that I’m wrong. DON’T RUIN IT FOR ME.
But. Do not fear. You can use whatever beer you like that comes in a can. Whatever you like to drink – use it.
What else. This is obviously the oven roasted version. We like to grill this too but sometimes it’s April and still 35 degrees out. Some people freak over beer can chicken, saying it’s not safe because of plastic or dyes in the can. We’ve eaten beer can chicken for years and we’re still kickin’. Do your own research and decide if you’re game. It’s not something we do every week when we roast, but it’s a fun switch. Cliché moderation, you know?
We prefer limes over lemons. There is a time and place for lemons and this is not it, especially since beer is involved. Give me a lime all the time. I not only stuff butter and spices under the skin, but also lime slices. The lime, the beer, the makeshift little BBQ spice rub – GAH. So freaking good.
I don’t even want to say it, but it’s ridiculously juicy.
Our Favorite Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds in weight
- 1 can of beer, I prefer the taller, skinnier cans
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking dish, roasting pan or dutch oven on a baking sheet. Open the can of beer and take a few sips and/or pour about 1/4 of it into the dish or pan. Set the can in the center of the dish.
- Remove the giblets and any other parts of the chicken and discard or set aside for another use. If desired, wash the chicken but either way – pat it TOTALLY dry with paper towels. You don’t want one speck of liquid.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder.
- In another bowl, add the softened butter. Add a few pinches (about 1/3 of the mix) of the spice mix to the butter and stir together until combined and smooth. Gently lift the skin of the chicken and rub the butter all over the breasts (UNDER the skin) and the thighs, if you can get to them. You only have to add a thin layer because much of the butter will run out of the chicken as it cooks. Push it up underneath the skin as far as it can go. Slice one of the limes into 1/8-inch slices and slide them up underneath the skin – as many as you can fit in one layer. Gently sit the chicken on top of the can of beer which is in the dish (OMG, so many things), the beer can going into the cavity of the chicken. Or you might have one of those fancy contraptions that makes beer can chicken easier.
- Rub the outsides with olive oil – don’t miss a spot! And rub the remaining spice rub over top. Slice the other lime in half and shove it face down in the top cavity of the chicken (where the neck would be). Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes. When finished, carefully remove the pans from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes. I use kitchen tongs and my hands to gently remove the chicken from the can (it may take some wiggling) – discard the can and slice/serve the chicken as you wish.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Bye.
141 Comments on “Our Favorite Beer Can Chicken.”
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I have done other recipes for beer can chicken and they were pretty delicious…but hands down, this is the best one ever! I made mine on the grill put a pan underneath and used the drippings for gravy. Everything was spectacular! Thank you for sharing!
Did you wrap it in foil on the grill or uncovered
I left it uncovered.
How long does it cook on the grill/ what’s the internal temp supposed to reach ?
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My husband does it on the Bar b Q . He calls it “Drunk Chicken”
how low do you cook the chicken on the grill? and how long? thx….Marla
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I made this last night and it turned out sooo good! The chicken was super moist and flavorful. Thanks again for another great recipe!
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made this tonight, yum!!!
What sides would you recommend to go with the lime/paprika flavors?!
A salad made of black beans, corn, cucumber, tomato, avocado and pepinos. Cilantro lime cumin dressing. Rice with a hint of chimichurri.
I also slice up jalapenos and shove those under the skin with the limes. I cut the top of the beer can off and put half a lime in their too. So good!!! This recipes is awesome!
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Awesome delicious crispy-skinned chicken, and just about as good as doing it on the grill, but with set-and-forget ease. However, I would suggest one minor revision – DELETE THE BEER CAN.
Why?
1.) If you don’t eat paint chips or obsessively lick your Bud Light cans then why put a painted can inside your bird? The beer companies have disavowed this cooking method for this reason; can paint has not been USDA tested for toxicity.
2.) The half-can of beer does nothing, really. Think about it…it never reaches boiling temp inside the bird, so you don’t get that “flavor-steam” you’re imagining, and more importantly,
3.) Physics. Your metal can allows no beer vapors into the bird cavity; in fact any such evaporation is directed out of the top of the bird like a chimney. In fact you’re putting a heat sink inside the chicken, making cook-through problematic.
If anything, do this instead: Buy an inexpensive wire beer-butt chicken racks at your favorite big box or online store to stand your bird up, and then pop a nice halved onion or apple (or two); that will add flavor and unlike the impermeable metal can it will impart some moisture.
If you must have the can, because beer butt, no biggie – it will still come out delicious. Can’t go wrong! Now if you’ll excuse me I must experiment with my whiskey-butt turkey…
You are so right with the beer can printing. Did a chicken once on the grill and when I pulled out the can, the printing on the can had disappeared. Hmmm, I wonder when it went. I am sure it did not enhance the taste of the chicken and was not willing to try. There went a great looking chicken into the garbage.
Can’t you wrap the beer can in aluminum foil (leaving the top open of course) if you are afraid the paint will chip?
Wow awesome blog. I visited on your blog. You recipe are very nice . I love it. I will visit on your main website. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this post about Beer Can Chicken. It is very nice blog. I like it. Thanks for sharing it.
Beware of using some baking trays!
My metal rimmed baking tray buckles when it gets to a certain temp which knocks the chicken and beer can over nicely. I removed it and am just using a glass pie dish.
And I found that I needed another set of hands close by to help me get everything in the oven without everything tipping over.
I’ve had this one on my to-do list for a while, and I finally tried it last Sunday!
Here’s what I got: http://efreetintheoven.blogspot.it/2016/01/up-yours.html
It’s good stuff!
I love your blog! Just found you on Google, looking up the cooking times for Beer Can Chicken. Thanks for all the hints, and especially for your humor! (Next time, I may eliminate the can… some scary comments up there!)
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I was married to a Belgian world class chef. Getting return invites for dinner was rare because of the intimidation factor. My fearless neighbor invited us over for a beer butt chicken. Impressed the hell out of Jacques (chef)!!
Came out with skin totally burnt
We call it beer butt chicken!
Sounds like a great recipe! We do “beer can” turkey in our Big Green Egg smoker/BBQ grill. We use these ceramic “beer can” contraptions that we purchased along with one for cooking chicken. Both under $30 shipped, on Amazon.com. =) The turkey using the ceramic beer can cooker always turns out absolutely so juicy.
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Nice display man you have made my mouth water , Lol
I put sweet chille, soy sauce and garlic in with my beer. I also oil the can before placing it in the chicken as well as oil and salt rub the skin. Might have to try the lime, I’ve been cooking it for year the kid always love it.
Cheers Bigus Nikus.
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Made this chicken last night for dinner on the grill. Absolutely amazing! Love the hint of lime! Thank you for sharing!
Pollito violado … es una receta regia (Monterrey) de antaño y se prepara con Cerveza Tecate en un asador de carbón.
Violated chicken… it´s an old recipe from México (Monterrey) and its prepare with Tecate Beer over a charcoal grill.
I made your beer butt chicken last night and my Hubby, daughter, and I devoured every last bite of a 5 lb. chicken. Thank you for the excellent recipe! It’s going in the dinner rotation :)
Deborah
ps- the first beer can I used buckled under the chicken as I tried to insert it. I got quite a good chuckle out of that.
Never made beer can chicken so this was my first time making it last night. It was awesome!!! Just as juicy as ever and the skin had a nice crisp to it. It looked just like the picture,yeah!!! Thanks for the recipe.
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I did this tonight for my 2 kids and wife. I have a contraption that allows you to pour the beer inside of the canister that gets inserted into the bird. I smoked it for 2 hrs! C A N Y O U S A Y D E L I C I O U S!!! Thank you for this recipe.
I used Heineken (I don’t drink beer) it what was left over from a party.
I was so excited to make this! Looked amazing… smelled great… Husband said that even after 1hr 15mins.. it wasn’t done. I am not sure what happened :( (says the vegetarian who cooks meat). .. i put it back in the over for another 30mins but had already tossed out the can and cut some of it up.. I should have put it back in upright…. I still cant figure out how 1hr 15mins left part of the bird cold and undone. It was about about 5lbs. I will for sure try to again….. maybe in the smoker as well
Have been making “drunk chicken” for many years. Have had your problem one time…wife put chicken back in fridge, and set back out later unknown to the chef (me) the chicken was cold internally and was raw. I cook indirectly on the grill @ 250-275, use a drip pan until I have med + brown on the skin. Good luck
Yes, I’ve made beer can chicken in the past but this was very juicy and cut up and eaten before I had it out of the pan
We made this recipe on our smoker. It was delicious! We substituted Coca Cola for the beer, really juicy.
Really Looks delicious! want to eat…thanks for sharing for this recipes. yumm