Smoked Beer Can Chicken is an easy way to roast a whole chicken on the grill. The beer keeps the inside of the chicken moist while wood chips give the chicken a nice smokey flavor.
I love to grill almost on the daily in the summer and it’s been my goal to share a lot of grilling recipes with you over the past decade. I use to be terrified to grill and then I just started doing it more. Little by little my confidence grew in the grilling depart. I never call on my husband any more to “do the grilling”. It’s all me. It’s my grill.
One of the first recipes I learned on the grill was beer can chicken. You use a beer can rack and place a can of beer in the chickens cavity. The liquid from the beer keeps the chicken super moist. It’s one of my favorite methods for cooking a whole chicken. It’s a fool proof way of making sure you have flavorful and moist chicken. If you are newer to grilling or even a pro I think you’ll love my Smoked Beer Can Chicken. Even better you don’t need a fancy smoker to make it.
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Directions
- Marinate the whole chicken for at least 30 minutes in the Tequila Lime marinade.
- While the chicken marinades, soak the wood chips or hickory wood blocks for at least a half hour. Then, place the drained wood chips in a disposable foil container. Wrap tightly with foil and poke a few holes on the top.
- Preheat the grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit 10 minutes before you are about to start cooking the chicken. Place the wood chip “box” directly on the heat of the grill.
- Before placing the whole chicken on the grill, turn off one side of the burners and lower the other side to medium flame (if cooking on a gas grill). You will cook the chicken not directly over the heat source–in indirect heat.
- Place the beer in the beer can chicken roaster and then place the chicken over the roaster. Carefully, transfer to the grill on the indirect heat side. Cook for 2 hours or until the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer.
- Once the chicken is done carefully remove it off the grill and remove beer can from chicken cavity. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes. Slice it into 6 parts. Then baste with additional sauce. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over it and serve with lime wedges.
Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade
Here is how to make the Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade.
Combine a ½ cup of tequila, 1 cup lime juice, ½ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ¼ cup cilantro, (optional) 1 jalapeno pepper with seeds removed, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 teaspoon salt, and a ½ teaspoon black pepper in a high powered blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds or until well combined, then pour over ¾ of the marinade over the chicken.
Reserve the additional marinade for basting and finishing the chicken.
FAQS
Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions when making smoked whole chicken.
This depends on the method of cooking. If you are cooking in a traditional smoker you will want to cook low and slow for 2-3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
I love to use a lager when making beer can chicken. This is the mildest of beers that does not have a lot of hoppy or bitter flavors.
Yes, Bud Light is considered a light lager.
It’s best to have the beer at room temperature before cooking. But if it’s lightly chilled it’s okay too.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my tips and tricks when making
- Marinate – For a more intense flavor you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
- Wood Chips – You can use hickory,
- Beer Can – The extra large Fosters beer cans work best especially if you don’t have a beer can chicken holder. The alcohol in the beer burns off, so no one will get drunk on this chicken.
- Gluten Free – Make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten free beer such as a cider.
- Smoker Instructions – Turn on smoker according to manufacturer’s instructions and set to 225 degrees F. Follow marinating instructions. Place whole chicken on top of large beer can and then cook for 1.5 hours. Then increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and smoke for 1- 1 hour 30 minutes. Baste a few times with the marinade. Remove once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Follow the resting and cutting instructions as above.
Side Dishes for Chicken
Here are a few of my favorite side dishes that compliment chicken.
If you make this recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Grill
- 1 Wood Chips
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Whole Chicken
- ¼ cup Tequila Lime Marinade
- 16 ounce Can of Beer
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro minced
- 1 Lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the whole chicken for at least 30 minutes in the Tequila Lime marinade.
- While the chicken marinades, soak the wood chips or hickory wood blocks for at least a half hour. Then, place the drained wood chips in a disposable foil container. Wrap tightly with foil and poke a few holes on the top.
- Preheat the grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit 10 minutes before you are about to start cooking the chicken. Place the wood chip "box" directly on the heat of the grill.
- Before placing the whole chicken on the grill, turn off one side of the burners and lower the other side to medium flame (if cooking on a gas grill). You will cook the chicken not directly over the heat source–in indirect heat.
- Place the beer in the beer can chicken roaster and then place the chicken over the roaster. Carefully, transfer to the grill on the indirect heat side. Cook for 2 hours or until the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer.
- Once the chicken is done carefully remove it off the grill and remove beer can from chicken cavity. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes. Slice it into 6 parts. Then baste with additional sauce. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over it and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Marinate – For a more intense flavor you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
- Wood Chips – You can use hickory,
- Beer Can – The extra large Fosters beer cans work best especially if you don’t have a beer can chicken holder. Light beer such as an lager works best for this recipe. The alcohol in the beer burns off, so no one will get drunk on this chicken.
- Gluten Free – Make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten free beer such as a cider.
- Smoker Instructions – Turn on smoker according to manufacturer’s instructions and set to 225 degrees F. Follow marinating instructions. Place whole chicken on top of large beer can and then cook for 1.5 hours. Then increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and smoke for 1- 1 hour 30 minutes. Baste a few times with the marinade. Remove once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Follow the resting and cutting instructions as above.
- Tequila Lime Marinade – Combine a half cup of tequila, 1 cup lime juice, ½ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ¼ cup cilantro, (optional) 1 jalapeno pepper with seeds removed, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 teaspoon salt, and a ½ teaspoon black pepper in a high powered blender or food processor. Blend for 30 seconds or until well combined, then pour over ¾ of the marinade over the chicken. Reserve the additional marinade for basting and finishing the chicken.
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
Awww man does this ever look delicious! I am a grill girl and this recipe is for me! Bonus that it’s just 5 ingredients!
Katie
Thanks Colleen! Yes–all for simple recipes! 🙂
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
Beer can chicken is on my bucket list! I’ve always loved the idea of it but I’ve never taken the time to make it! My chicken never comes out this beautiful when I just grill it so I have a feeling that were totally using your recipe next time we grill out! And world market.. oh my gosh, you have no idea now much I love it! My closest is like and hour and so away but I could literally spend all day in there!
Kim Beaulieu
I grill every day, even in winter, so I’m all over this. It’s beautiful. Such gorgeous photos.
I went to Cost Plus World Market for the first time last year while I was at a conference. It was like stepping onto my home planet. Not even kidding. I was in there for hours, and hours, and hours. It’s my favourite place in the world now.
Katie
Kim! I’m the same way except my weather here is much much warmer than yours! 😉 Love beer can chicken!!! The closest World Market to me is 45 minutes away and when I go I make a half day of it. I always spend at least 2 hours in the store… browsing aisle by aisle! Hopefully they will open some in Canada by you!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
I’ve seen beer can chicken recipes here and there and have always wanted to try it! I am afraid of grilling but need to get over my fear like you did 🙂
Katie
Ashley, I use to be like you and I was super scared of the grill. I finally tackled it head on and now I can’t imagine cooking any other way. Beer can chicken is actually the first recipe I tackled to learn. It’s super easy and very hard to dry out the chicken! The key to cooking on the grill is having a meat thermometer and closely monitoring the internal temperature. Over time you won’t have to monitor as much.
Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom
The name alone makes me want to make this awesome looking chicken!
Katie
Thanks Brenda!
Susan
This chicken looks incredible! Perfect crisp, charred grill skin! That’s the best part in my opinion!
Katie
Susan, the skin was sooooo good!
Nutmeg Nanny
I LOVE grilling. In fact I’m pretty sure my husband has never even grilled on our grill…haha. We made a total role reversal in that department 🙂 I have actually never made beer can chicken but you have me craving it now! This dish looks so goooooood!
Katie
That’s funny, Brandy. The only way my husband knew how to cook was on the grill. Now I’ve taken that away from him too! Although sometimes he helps! Seriously, you’ll love beer can chicken and never want to cook a whole chicken on the grill any other way again!