Traeger Beer Can Chicken

Traeger Beer Can Chicken is a simple way to cook chicken on the grill perfectly every time. Easy seasonings paired with your favorite beer, and you'll be eating tender and juicy chicken in no time at all.

When it comes to cooking a whole chicken, people tend to get nervous about keeping it tender and juicy. The truth is that using a can of beer with this chicken recipe is a fast and easy way to get great flavor and juiciness.

Smoked beer can chicken is not only simple to do, but it's the perfect way to feed a crowd as well. I've made this recipe for family gatherings, holiday meals, and even just a fun weekend of tailgating and football watching.

Speaking of cooking chicken, be sure to check out this Smoked Whole Chicken.

Ingredients

Whole chicken - Make sure that it's thawed and ready to cook. 

Brown sugar - This is used to add sweetness and mixes well with the other dry rub ingredients. 

Smoked paprika - Regular paprika will work just fine but smoked paprika adds so much extra flavor. 

Salt - To taste. A general rule of thumb is to add a teaspoon per pound of meat. If you do this to a chicken you need to season the outside and inside of the cavity.

Black pepper - To taste. You can use extra if you love it or leave it out if you don't.

Beer - Choose a can of your favorite type of beer. You can easily get a different taste by changing the kind of beer. Light beer is great for a lighter taste, or a darker or stout beer can give it a smoky and rich flavor.

How to make Beer Can Chicken on the Grill

Step One: Remove the chicken from the packaging. Discard any giblets or extra pieces from the cavities of the chicken. Rinse well with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Step Two: Combine all the homemade dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Then sprinkle them inside and outside of the chicken to season it thoroughly.

Step Three: Open the can of beer and remove about ⅓ of the beer. Go ahead and just drink some. It is 5 o'clock somewhere.

Step Four: Place chicken over the beer can by inserting the top of the beer can into the large chicken cavity. Place chicken and beer can into a roasting pan to collect the juices.

Step Five: Place the roasting pan with chicken into your preheated smoker. Set the Traeger grill temperature to 250°F and smoke the chicken upright for an hour. After about an hour, increase the Traeger temperature to 350°F and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. 

This will take about 90 to 120 minutes on your Traeger wood pellet grill.. Use an instant-read thermometer to check several spots in the chicken to ensure it is thoroughly cooked.

Step Six: Remove the chicken from the grill, remove the beer can from the chicken with tongs and allow it to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before carving it.

Optional Gravy: If you want to make gravy, use the remaining beer in the can to deglaze the roasting pan over the stove. Add an additional cup of beer and a tablespoon of flour. Allow it to reduce and thicken. Season to taste.

Variations

Use BBQ sauce - You can use mesquite BBQ sauce or another type to add to the smoky flavor.

Change up the dry rub - The great part about using a spice rub is that it's versatile in how you can add flavors. You can add olive oil and fresh rosemary, garlic powder, chili powder, or anything that you want to the chicken.

Change the flavor of the pellets in the pellet grill - For a wood-pellet grill like the Traeger pellet smoker you can use pecan or cherry wood pellets.

Herbs - Poultry spices like thyme, sage, parsley, and rosemary go well with this. You can even finely chop them and add them into the can of beer.

Onion & Garlic - The easiest way to get these flavors into the poultry is to add powdered versions to the dry rub.

Common Questions

How do you store leftover chicken?

Let the chicken cool down completely before adding leftovers to an airtight container. Keep them cool in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

How do I check if a chicken is done cooking fully?

Using a meat thermometer is a great way to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Put the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and make sure that the reading shows 160 degrees.

What pairs well with beer can chicken?

Side dishes are so fun to pair with this beer butt chicken recipe! You can make traeger pellet grill Smoked Cornbread as a delicious side dish, or choose something else like Smoked Asparagus as well.

If you want to keep it light, a simple side salad is a great option also.

Recipe

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Originally Published October 31, 2022. Revised and Republished February 7, 2025.