Beer Can Chicken
A whole chicken sat upright over an open can of lager on the barbecue, with crisp, paprika-rubbed skin and juicy breast meat.
- Time1 hr 50
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.25 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 829kcal
- 6.2gcarbs
- 4.5gof which sugars
- 25.1gfat
- 7.1gsaturates
- 139.9gprotein
- 0.7gfibre
- 3.8gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Mix the paprika, sugar, garlic granules, salt, pepper and thyme with the oil to make a paste. Rub it all over the chicken and under the skin of the breast.
- 2
Set the barbecue up for indirect cooking at about 180C: coals banked to one side on a charcoal barbecue, or outer burners on and the middle off on gas. Open the lager can, drink or pour away half, and drop the lemon halves into it.
- 3
Lower the chicken cavity down over the can so the bird sits upright, with the legs and can forming a tripod. Carefully stand it in the centre of the cool side, ideally on a drip tray. Take care, the can and beer will be hot.
- 4
Close the lid and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of a thigh. A probe in the thigh should read 75C. Cover loosely with foil if the skin darkens too fast.
75 min - 5
Using tongs and a heatproof glove, lift the chicken off the can onto a board, as the can is very hot. Rest for 15 minutes before carving. No barbecue? Roast it standing on the can in a deep tin at 200°C (180°C fan) for the same time.
15 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
