Our favorite beer can chicken

A whole chicken cooked upright on a beer can, yielding crispy skin and incredibly juicy meat, flavored with a smoky spice rub and citrus butter.

Ingredients

  • 2.3 kg whole chicken
  • 1 can beer (can)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 pieces lime

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place a baking dish, a roasting pan, or a Dutch oven on a baking sheet. Open the beer can, take a sip, or pour about a quarter of it into the dish. Place the can in the center of the dish.
  2. Remove the giblets and other parts from the chicken; discard them or save them for another use. Wash the chicken if desired, but above all, pat it VERY dry with paper towels. There should be no remaining trace of moisture.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chipotle powder.
  4. In a separate bowl, add the softened butter. Stir in a few pinches (about one third of the mix) of the spice blend into the butter and mix until smooth and homogenous.
  5. Gently lift the chicken skin and rub the spiced butter all over the breast (UNDER the skin) and over the thighs, if possible. A thin layer is enough, as much of the butter will melt away during cooking. Push it as far up under the skin as possible. Cut one lime into 3 mm thick slices and slip them under the skin in a single layer, fitting in as many as possible. Carefully slide the chicken onto the beer can in the dish, pushing the can into the chicken cavity.
  6. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil, making sure to cover every crevice. Rub the remaining spice blend all over the surface. Cut the other lime in half and wedge it, cut side down, into the upper cavity of the chicken (the neck cavity).
  7. Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes. When cooking is complete, carefully remove the dishes from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes. Using kitchen tongs and your hands, carefully remove the chicken from the can (you might need to wiggle it gently). Discard the can, then carve and serve the chicken as desired.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy
818.1 kcal
Protein
135.53 g
Carbohydrate
11.2 g
Fat
24.24 g
Fibre
2.16 g
Calcium
93.17 mg
Iron
8.06 mg
Magnesium
132.04 mg
Indicative, non-medical nutrition estimate; values depend on brands, actual weights, and whether ingredients are raw or cooked.