Vertical Roasted (Beer Can) Chicken

Vertically Roasted Oven-Baked Chicken (Beer Can Chicken) is an easy way to get an evenly cooked, flavorful, juicy whole chicken with crispy skin every time!

As easy and flavorful as our Rotisserie Chicken, this oven-baked Chicken Recipe is fun to make and can be served as one pan meal with the potatoes and carrots!

BAKED BEER CAN CHICKEN

If you have been wanting to try Beer Can Chicken but weren’t sure about cooking it on the grill, you’ll love this fail-proof recipe! No need to worry about your chicken toppling over or flare-ups from the chicken fat. This oven baked chicken recipe is hands off once it goes in and you end up with a perfectly golden brown crispy skin and evenly cooked, juicy fall-off-the-bone chicken!

This Beer Can Chicken, or Vertical Roasted Chicken, is so easy to make with just a few key preparations. The first thing to do is remove your middle oven rack or place it low enough for the chicken to be upright while it cooks. While you do use a beer can (or upright roaster) to prop up the chicken, you do want a pan to catch all the drippings that will fit the bird and the potatoes and carrots.

Beer Can Chicken is great for summertime dinners, you can just pop the chicken on a half-filled beer or soda that got too warm to drink. Use a beer or soda you like to drink since the flavor is going to steam through the chicken. It won’t be the exact taste of the beer, more like the top notes. Fruity beers are going to give a fruity note, IPAs will have a hoppy, herby flavor, and dark soda will have a deep caramel flavor.

If you don’t have a beer can or soda can, you can make Vertical Roast Chicken on an upright roaster. Don’t have that fancy gadget? Use a bundt pan or an angel food cake pan! Place the chicken over the center part and put your potatoes and carrots around the chicken. Place the pan on a baking sheet with sides high enough to keep any juices from spilling on the bottom of your oven.

Easy Beer Can Chicken is a tasty, simple dinner all year round with a side of Dinner Rolls and side of Sautéed Green Beans. Make a summer Beer Can Chicken dinner by leaving out the potatoes and carrots and serve instead with Mac and Cheese and Coleslaw!

EASY SIDE DISH RECIPES:

Baked Mac and Cheese

Roasted Broccoli

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

If you don’t have a beer can or soda can, you can make Vertical Roast Chicken on an upright roaster. Don’t have that fancy gadget? Use a bundt pan or an angel food cake pan! Place the chicken over the center part and put your potatoes and carrots around the chicken. Place the pan on a baking sheet with sides high enough to keep any juices from spilling on the bottom of your oven.

Easy Beer Can Chicken is a tasty, simple dinner all year round with a side of Dinner Rolls and side of Sautéed Green Beans. Make a summer Beer Can Chicken dinner by leaving out the potatoes and carrots and serve instead with Mac and Cheese and Coleslaw!

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VARIATIONS ON BEER CAN CHICKEN

• Spice Rub: Try our homemade Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning for a grocery store deli chicken flavor, or try dry rub seasonings like lemon pepper, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder.
• Beer: Try a coffee stout for a hint of toasty, espresso flavor or a fruity hefeweizen for a summery, citrus flavor. Light beers won’t give a lot of flavor but will still make the chicken moist and juicy.

BBQ Sauce Pairings

Cook the Beer Can Chicken on beer or soda can, and baste with a BBQ sauce that pairs with the soda or beer flavor. Check out our flavor pairings below:

• Dr. Pepper: Dr. Pepper Soda and Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce
• Root Beer: Root Beer Soda and Root Beer BBQ Sauce
• Hops: Hoppy, Non-Fruity IPA Beer with Alabama White Sauce
• Coffee: Coffee Stout or Porter Beer with Memphis BBQ Sauce
• Ginger: Ginger Ale (or Ginger Beer) with Kansas City BBQ Sauce 

Grilled Beer Can Chicken

• Season chicken with spice rub and set aside.
• Turn all but 1 burner (2/3 or 3/4) to high heat and heat grill to 450 degrees F.
• Place half empty beer can in a 9×13 pan and carefully prop chicken upright with can in cavity.
• Set pan over the burner that is not on and pour 1 cup water into pan.
• Grill over indirect heat, covered, for 35 minutes. Rotate pan.
• Baste chicken with drippings every 10 minutes for an additional 25-35 minutes, until chicken internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
• Rest chicken 10 minutes before removing from beer can and carving.

EASY CLASSIC DINNER RECIPES

Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Perfect Simple Roast Chicken

Baked Chicken Thighs

Classic Beef Meatloaf

HOW TO STORE BEER CAN CHICKEN

• Serve: Beer Can Chicken can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it should be cooled and stored.
• Store: Place chicken pieces, potatoes, and carrots in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken and veggies on a baking sheet in the oven on low heat.
• Freeze: Once cooled, place Beer Can Chicken (cut into pieces) in a sealed container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating everything in the oven.

HOW TO KNOW WHEN BEER CAN CHICKEN IS DONE

According to the U.S. Food Safety Guidelines, a whole chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Measure the temperature at the inner parts of the thigh or wing, and the thickest part of the breast with an instant-read thermometer.

5 from 3 votes

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Beer Can Chicken

Vertically Roasted Oven-Baked Chicken (Beer Can Chicken) is an easy way to get an evenly cooked, flavorful, juicy whole chicken with crispy skin every time!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Beer Can Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 321 kcal

Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

• 3-4 pound chicken , giblets removed and patted dry
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 8 small Yukon Gold Potatoes , halved
• 3 carrots , cut into 2 inch chunks

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F

2. Place the chicken on the upright roasting rack (or mostly empty soda/beer can) in a large shallow pan.
3. In a small bowl mix together salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, paprika and thyme.

4. Rub it all over the chicken.

5. Add the potatoes and carrots around the chicken in the pan.

6. Roast for 75-90 minutes or until the thickest part of the thighs are at 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.

Nutrition Facts

Beer Can Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 321 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 61mg20%

Sodium 666mg29%

Potassium 961mg27%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 4059IU81%

Vitamin C 36mg44%

Calcium 46mg5%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.