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9 Beer Can Chicken Recipes That'll Make This Method Your Favorite

Updated on March 01, 2024

Don't just drink your beer! Use it to make your next chicken the juiciest one yet.

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Our Best Beer Can Chicken Ideas

Grilled chicken is great and all, but what could be better than a tender, flavorful bird that takes things over the top with a showstopping presentation? Cooked whole, propped up vertically over an open can, beer-steamed chicken is guaranteed to impress at cookouts and summer parties. And, it's easy enough that you can prepare it for your family as a summer weeknight dinner. Need a few recipes to get you started? This chicken is flavored from start to finish. A basic rub, made with sweet paprika, brown sugar, lots of pepper and more spices, comes into play first and a smoky cola-based BBQ sauce seals the deal.

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Photo: Con Poulos

Beer-Brined Beer Can Chicken

The beer can serves an important purpose, letting you cook the chicken in an upright position so the skin gets crisp all over, similar to a rotisserie chicken — but it doesn’t provide a ton of flavor. For real beer flavor, beer-brine the bird before grilling and fill the drip pan with beer too.

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Photo: Matt Armendariz ©

Beer Can Chicken

Bobby spoons his 16 Spice Rub for Chicken into the beer can and rubs it onto the chicken, guaranteeing tons of flavor from the inside out.

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Big Bud's Beer Can Chicken

A dry rub, a beer can and some time in the oven make Guy's chicken nice and crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. A half-pound of bacon doesn't hurt either.

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