Ingredients
- 4 pound chicken
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 can beer (recommended Sam Adams White Ale)
- 3 cups apple wood smoking chips
- 1 disposable aluminum pie plate (or drip pan)
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Soak the wood chips in water for at least 2 hours.
When ready to grill, preheat 1 of the burners to 350 degrees F.
Make sure the chicken is clean and innards are removed; pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, add paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, chili powder and mix well. Take the chicken and separate the skin from the breast taking care not to tear or remove skin. Apply the spice rub directly to the chicken breast, under the skin. Apply rub to the entire chicken, inside and out, reserving at least 2 tablespoons. Punch 2 holes at the top of the can, with a manual hand-held can opener. In a new bowl, mix butter and remaining spice rub. Add this mixture to the half-full can of beer. Place chicken over beer can and insert into the cavity of the chicken, keeping beer can standing up.
Place the wood chips in a foil smoker pouch over the active burner on the grill and set the chicken, on a pie plate, over the in-active burner. Close the lid. Rotate the chicken every 20 minutes. 5 minutes before cooking is complete, drizzle the honey over the chicken. The chicken should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees F. Slice and serve.
Photo: Robin Koury's Spice of Life Beer Can Chicken Recipe
















Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 16 reviews
By neet1012
on May 24, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
My friends in the UK are amazed at this way of cooking chicken. But, the flavor and the juiciness is the best. I won't barbecue chicken any other way. And this is the best beer can recipe, period
By Chef #730801
Greece, NY
on June 28, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This chicken was absolutely delicious and can't wait to make it again. My family LOVED this chicken..so moist and flavorful.
By Flygirl Cate
Albuquerque, NM
on June 23, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
My husband said this is the best chicken I have ever made! Friends and family say I'm a very good cook. I have made lots of great chicken dishes over the years so for my husband to say it's the best is saying a lot. I loved the rub. Made a double recipe of that to save time when I make this dish again on the 4th of July when company visits. Couldn't find Sam Adams in cans so I used Santa Fe Brewery Pilsner and the flavor was great. I too poured the rest of the beer into the pie plate. Be careful when you put the spice rub into the beer can--it foamed up quite a bit and made quite a mess on my counter! This is a great recipe.
Read all 16 reviews