Beer Can Barbecue Chicken
Ever made Beer Can Barbecue Chicken? This recipe is easy and no-fail, and the chicken is moist beyond belief! One of the best out there!

Beer Can Barbecue Chicken
I have a feeling you’ll also like this Buffalo Chicken Wing recipe. Just a strong hunch! 🙂
I Have a confession to make: Up until recently I’d never made nor even tasted – beer can chicken.
I always longed at photos, curious about the taste and admired the ease in cooking. Yet for some reason, I’ve never attempted to make it. Ok, this could be due to my lack in barbecue skills – you know how much I would LOVE to learn to grill, but have failed miserably.
So, I entrusted the help of my grill-master and husband to take on the job. The Beer Can Barbecue Chicken recipe that used is from Kraft Canada, they have some fantastic Easy BBQ Recipes & Ideas on the site which will be my BFF this summer.
We made Beer Can Barbecue Chicken on Father’s Day actually, and also invited company over for dinner. Like myself, they never made nor tried beer can chicken either. See? I’m not the only one!
Since we are a family of five, plus two on this evening – I decided to make two chickens so that we’d have enough plus leftovers. I purchased fresh large roasting chickens.
So, I prepped the chickens using instructions for their rub {I doubled the recipe}, though I didn’t discard the beers as stated. The remaining beer was enjoyed on the deck while the chicken cooked. Just sayin’. 😉
After placing the chickens {with beer inside} on the grill, we could smell the seasoned rub within 5 minutes. And, the smell was amazing. There’s just something about summer grilling that can’t be beat.
The recipe instructions could not have been easier, and more precise though we did cook for about 30 minutes longer due to having larger chickens than the recipe called for. Once done, they were cooked to perfection, and I mean – absolute perfection.
My whole family, in-laws included – agreed that Beer Can Barbecue Chicken is the most moist and delicious chicken that you’ll ever taste. The juices literally spill out when carving. I’m happy that I made extra of this recipe, since leftovers were greatly appreciated and enjoyed.

Oh yes, Beer Can Barbecue Chicken will be made again – all.summer.long! Also, I love that this recipe can be made at home or out camping too. Actually, it’s the perfect camping recipe!
Have you tried Beer Can Barbecue Chicken before?


Beer Can Barbecue Chicken
Ever made Beer Can Barbecue Chicken? This recipe is easy and no-fail, and the chicken is moist beyond belief! One of the best out there!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 whole chicken, 4 lb./1.8 kg
- 1 can beer, 355 mL
- 1/2 cup Kraft Original BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Heat barbecue for indirect grilling: Light one side of barbecue, leaving other side unlit. Close lid; heat barbecue to 375ºF. Mix first 5 ingredients; rub onto chicken.
- Open beer can; discard half the beer. Place can on work surface; lower chicken over can, inserting can into tail end of chicken. Stand chicken on grate over unlit area, using the legs to help the chicken stand upright; cover. (Can should remain in chicken on barbecue.)
- Grill chicken 1 hour; brush with 1/4 cup sauce. Grill, uncovered, 15 min. or until chicken is done (170ºF), monitoring for consistent grill temperature and brushing chicken frequently with remaining sauce. Remove from barbecue; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 10 min. before removing chicken from can and carving chicken. Discard any beer remaining in can.
Notes
SUBSTITUTE
You can also try out this recipe with our new Bull’s-Eye Guinness Draught Beer Blend Barbecue Sauce, which combines world famous Guinness Draught beer with the classic Bull’s-Eye smoky taste that barbecue masters love!
SERVING SUGGESTION
Balance this special-occasion recipe with side dishes. For example, choose a mixed green salad tossed with your favourite Kraft Dressing and hot steamed vegetables.
HOW TO GRILL WITH INDIRECT HEAT
When grilling over indirect heat, the food is not cooked directly over the heat source. The covered barbecue then acts like an oven, so there is no need to turn the food. Use this grilling method for foods that require at least 25 min. of grilling time or foods that are so delicate that direct exposure to the heat source would dry them out, such as roasts, whole chickens, thick steaks, ribs or delicate fish fillets.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 318Saturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 334mgCarbohydrates: 10gSugar: 7gProtein: 23g
I have always wanted to try to do this. It looks like yours came out so good!
They turned out fantastic! Although I really shouldn’t have looked at the photos before lunch, now my stomach is growling.
These turned out amazing!! This would be a grilling recipe right up John’s alley, he has never had this before either!
I have never had beer can chicken. I must get my grill master to try this. Look delicious.
Thanks for the recipe. I have always wanted to try beer can chicken. Your chickens look amazing! Well done.
So happy to see that you finally got to experience one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare chicken on the BBQ. I’ve been making this for 10 years now. Love it.
You can use different liquids in place of beer and the spice rub combinations are limitless. I also love to brush my chicken skin with Frank’s then sprinkle the outside with some of the rub mixture before placing on BBQ. Enjoy!
Oh yum! This sounds absolutely amazing. Love BBQ chicken.
I’ve never tried beer can chicken, but have wanted to! Those look mouthwateringly delicious!
This sounds so yummy! I’ve never cooked a whole chicken on the grill but I really need to try this recipe out. It looks amazing!
We love beer can chicken!
This looks like it would be a lot of fun to make! Yours turned out great!
My son actually made this recently for the very first time and a Fanta one too. Then my daughter followed suit and made beer ones too. Can’t say that I tasted much difference to a normal BBQ chicken though.
Wow they look magazine perfect! Delicious picture!
Wow, they look delicious! I have never tried Beer Can Chicken, so I think I’ll try it this summer!
I’ve never tried or had beer can chicken. Sounds yummy. Thanks
for sharing.
Wow,that chicken looks sinfully delicious
i’ve never tried a beer can bbq chicken either!
mMMM. I love beer can chicken.Will definetly try this recipe this week
Never made this before. Definitely want to try it ! Thanks for sharing
My son-in-law makes beer can Cicken and it is so delicious! It is always a treat to have this meal – thanks!
These look so delish , i wanna do one on the BBQ but our BBQ isn’t high enough , trying to talk hubby into buying a new one , i love Beer Can Chicken it is so delish 🙂
I am going to try this for sure,
Just got a new bbq, this would be great to try. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
looks delicious and no i haven’t tried it yet
I’ve made a different variation of the rub which gives it some kick and love the Beer Can Chicken! So easy!
They look so funny like they’re just lounging around on the grill! Lol! Yours look like they turned out great.