From Chicken Recipes by David Nagy · Food & Beverage

Beer Can Chicken

Published

Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken, 4-5 pounds
  • 1 can of beer or lemon-lime or cola soda
  • Homemade spice rub (or just use Lawry's or Emeril's Essence)
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence, or your favorite dried herb(s)
  • 1 lime (or lemon) thinly sliced
  • 1 lime (or lemon) cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
  1. If time permits, brine the chicken for 1-2 hours
  2. 2 hours before preparing/baking the chicken, unwrap (or remove from brine, rinse, and dry) it and remove any giblets
  3. Put the uncovered chicken on a plate or bowl, and refrigerate 1-2 hours for crispier skin
  4. In a small bowl, blend the sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder.
  5. In another bowl, add the softened butter. Add a few pinches (about 1/3 of the mix) of the spice mix to the butter and stir together until combined and smooth.
  6. Preheat the oven to 410 degrees F, in Convection Mode if available
  7. Season the cavity well with Herbs de Provence
  8. Place lime/lemon slices inside the cavity
  9. Gently lift the skin of the chicken and rub the butter all over UNDER the skin and the thighs
  10. Slide slices of lime/lemon up under the skin
  11. Open the can of beer/soda and pour about 1/4 of it into the pan that you'll bake the chicken on
  12. Rub the outsides with olive oil and rub the remaining spice rub over top.
  13. Open the beer/soda can and make 2-3 extra holes in the top with a can opener.
  14. Place the can in the cooking device and mount the chicken on it
  15. Push half a lime or lemon face down in the top cavity of the chicken (where the neck would be) to prevent moisture from escaping
  16. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes at 410 degrees, then reduce the heat to 375 and cook until 170 degrees is reached in the thighs - about one hour.
  17. When finished, carefully remove the pans from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 20 minutes before moving it to platter for carving.