Impress your guests at your next backyard barbecue with this delicious and easy-to-make Smoked Beer Can Chicken On Pellet Grill! This recipe combines the unique flavors of smoke with the subtle infusion of beer. This juicy, tender chicken with a smoky flavor and crispy skin is perfect for any occasion.
Pellet smokers make it easy to make moist, tender, juicy chicken, whether it's Smoked Chicken Breasts, Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, Smoked Chicken Legs, or Smoked Chili Lime Chicken.
For a twist on the traditional, try my Smoked Pineapple Stand Chicken.
This chicken pairs perfectly with sides like Smoked Baked Beans and Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob.
Jump to:
💗 Why You Will Love Smoked Beer Can Chicken
- Easy recipe - very little prep time needed!
- Low maintenance - once the ingredients are prepped, sit back, relax, and let the pellet grill do the work.
- Super flavorful! The beer steams the inside of the chicken to keep it moist and juicy while the skin gets perfectly crispy on the outside.
- The leftovers are great! The chicken is delicious cold, but you can use the leftovers for a fantastic pulled chicken sandwich or Smoked Chicken Noodle Soup.
🐓 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Beer: Use your favorite brand of beer. Some options are Budweiser, Coors, Pilsner, Michelob Ultra, etc. The beer steams the chicken from the inside. You can also use any liquid in a can, such as chicken broth, apple juice, Dr. Pepper, or Root Beer.
- Chicken: I used a whole chicken that was about 4 pounds. You can use any size of chicken, but a 3-5 pound chicken will work best. Also, keep in mind smaller chickens cook faster than larger ones.
- Oil. I used olive oil, but you could also use avocado oil. This helps to keep the chicken moist and gives the rub something to stick to.
- Rub: You can use any rub or seasoning blend, but my favorite is Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken. It is a simple blend of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper. Feel free to use your favorite dry rub or poultry rub. You can even use a simple salt and pepper seasoning.
See the printable recipe card below for exact measurements and a complete list of ingredients.
♨️ How to make smoked beer can chicken on pellet grill
Quick overview
- Preheat pellet smoker to 250°F.
- Brush chicken with oil.
- Apply dry rub.
- Position chicken on beer can.
- Smoke chicken for about 3 hours.
- Rest and serve.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. While the smoker is heating up, prepare your chicken by removing the giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels
Step 2: Brush olive oil on the outside of the chicken.
Step 3: Mix the ingredients for homemade rub in a small bowl with a whisk or spoon. Apply dry rub generously over the entire chicken. Apply it over the skin, under the skin, inside the chicken cavity, and in any crevices.
Step 4: Open a beer can and pour half of the beer out. You need to have less in the can so it will heat up and steam the inside of the chicken. Place the beer can in a beer can chicken holder, on a roasting pan, or on a baking sheet. Lower the whole bird down so that the can is inside the cavity of the chicken and the chicken stands upright.
Pro Tip: Use butcher twine to tie the legs together and tuck the tips of the chicken wings behind the shoulder joint to help keep them in place while cooking.
Step 5: Once the smoker is preheated, carefully place your chicken on the grill, securely positioned over the beer can. Leave the chicken on a baking dish or baking sheet so it will catch the drippings. Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and one of the thighs. Close the lid and let it smoke for approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the breast with a digital thermometer reaches 165°F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F.
Step 6: Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the smoker (you may need 2 people for this. Be careful - it will be hot). Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before carving.
Pro Tip: If the chicken is not fully cooked after 3 hours, turn the temperature to 325°F and continue to smoke until the desired internal temperature is reached.
💭 Expert Tips
- Consider purchasing a beer can chicken holder if you don't have one - they support the chicken well.
- Avoid opening up the smoker too often - you'll let precious heat out if you constantly peek inside!
- Brush on your favorite barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking.
- The cooking time will depend on several factors, including the size of your chicken, how hot your smoker is, outside temperature, etc. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature of your chicken.
🥗 Side Dishes
🧾 Recipe FAQs
The best wood pellets for smoked beer can chicken are hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, pecan, and Signature blend. However, don't be afraid to experiment with different pellets to find your favorite - you can even mix them!
No, it is not necessary to brine the chicken before smoking.
Using long-handled tongs or a spatula, carefully lift the beer can chicken from the grill and place it on a large cutting board or serving platter. Be sure to support the bottom of the chicken with a spatula or tongs as you lift it so it doesn't fall over. (You may need two people for this). After the chicken has rested, remove the can from the cavity using tongs or a pair of heat-resistant gloves. Be careful, as the can and the liquid inside will be hot.
Let the chicken cool to room temperature. Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Store the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
🍗 More Smoked Chicken Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this recipe for Smoked Beer Can Chicken On Pellet Grill or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you! 🙂
Please Subscribe and FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Smoked Beer Can Chicken on Pellet Grill
Equipment
- Pellet grill
- Meat Thermometer
- Wood pellets
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound whole chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons dry chicken rub the recipe below makes 9 tablespoons, but save the extra rub the next time you make any kind of chicken.
- 6 ounces beer your favorite beer
Homemade Dry Chicken Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning a Club House seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Remove the giblets from the chicken. Rinse inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.3-5 pound whole chicken
- Brush olive oil all over the outside of the chicken.2 tablespoons olive oil
- If using a homemade rub, mix the ingredients with a whisk or spoon in a small bowl. Apply dry rub generously over the entire chicken. Apply it over the skin, under the skin, inside the chicken cavity, and in any crevices.¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Open a can of beer and pour out half of the beer. Place the can on a roasting pan or baking sheet. Lower the whole bird onto it so that the can is inside the cavity of the chicken and the chicken stands upright. Use butcher twine to tie the legs together and tuck the tips of the chicken wings behind the shoulder joint.6 ounces beer
- Once your smoker is preheated, carefully place your beer can chicken directly on the grill, making sure it is securely positioned over the beer can. Leave the chicken on a baking dish or baking sheet so it will catch the drippings.
- Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and one of the thighs. Close the lid and let the smoker do its magic. Let it smoke for approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the breast with a digital thermometer reaches 165°F and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F.If the chicken is not fully cooked after 3 hours, turn the temperature to 325°F and continue to smoke until the desired internal temperature is reached.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, carefully remove it from the smoker (you may need two people for this - be careful - it will be hot).
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before carving, then slice and serve with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Don’t forget about the cavity - season inside and outside.
- Consider purchasing a beer can chicken holder if you don't have one - they support the chicken well.
- Make sure your chicken will fit upright in your smoker first - you may need a smaller chicken.
- Avoid opening up the smoker too often - you'll let precious heat out if you constantly peek inside!
- Drizzle the outside of the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.
- The cooking time will depend on several factors, including the size of your chicken, how hot your smoker is, outside temperature, etc. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature of your chicken.
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 Meet The Author
Meet Jeri, a self-taught home cook with over 40 years of cooking experience who decided to start a second career as a full-time food blogger. She is the recipe creator, writer, photographer, and creator of Winding Creek Ranch. Her mission is to make your life easier by sharing delicious recipes your family will love.
Ben
Second time I am using this recipe. Have only owned my pellet smoker for a few weeks.
Probably going to increase the heat to 325 at the end to get a crispier skin.
The rub is really good. I made extra and keep it stored in a small mason jar.
Jeri Walker
Hi Ben! I'm so glad you like the beer can chicken! Upping the heat for crispier skin is a great idea - and I'm thrilled you like the rub too! Enjoy cooking with your new pellet smoker! 🙂
Ben McPherson
I brined the chicken for about two hours this time. I also purchased the traeger beer holder the first time.
I have noticed that the thigh, even though it is temping 180. Still doesn’t seem done close to the bone. Any suggestions?
The breast meat is cooked perfectly. Don’t want to dry it out by cooking longer.
Jeri Walker
Great question, Ben. I would suggest maybe lowering the temperature to 225 degrees and cooking the chicken a bit longer. That will give the thigh meat more of a chance to cook without drying out the breast meat. Other suggestions I have would be to heat up the beer before pouring it into the beer holder, and you could also cover the breast meat loosely with aluminum foil to prevent it from over cooking. I hope these suggestions help! I have two smokers, a Pit Boss and a Traeger, and I notice that they both cook differently.