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Beer Belly Whole Roasted Chicken (In The Oven)

ByMelissa Jo Posted on
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A whole roasted chicken is upright on a can inside a black cast iron pot, with juices below. White kitchen cabinets and a vase of flowers are visible in the background.

I’m going to say something bold…I truly don’t think you can make a juicier whole roasted chicken in the oven than this. Seriously.

Now before you panic because you see the word beer, let me stop you right there. This chicken does NOT taste like beer! Nor will you or the chicken get drunk!! The beer simply creates steam inside the chicken while it roasts, making every bite unbelievably juicy, tender, and packed with flavor. Trust me—this isn’t about beer flavor. It’s about creating the most incredible roasted chicken you’ve ever had.

The best part? You don’t need one of those expensive beer can chicken holders. I have a little trick that I’ve never seen anyone talk about, and it works every single time. All you need is a regular 12-ounce can of beer, a cast-iron skillet, and my simple hack to keep the chicken standing perfectly upright while it roasts.

The butter, herbs, seasonings, and pan juices are absolutely unreal. Pair it with my easy mashed potatoes and spoon those buttery pan drippings right over the top…I promise you’ll be making this one again and again.

Pair this juicy whole roasted chicken with my Honey Butter Cornbread, Southern Italian Escarole and Beans, or my Grandmas mashed potatoes, for the ultimate comfort food dinner! 

A packaged Murray’s fresh young lean whole chicken from Publix, labeled with weight, price, and expiration date, on a checkered surface.
You want to get asa close to a 3 pound chicken as you can. It can be a little under or over but absolutely no more than 4 pounds!!
Butter in a bowl, a jar of bouillon, a plate of various spices with a measuring spoon, and fresh rosemary sprigs on a checkered cutting board in a bright kitchen.
A Budweiser beer can is placed on a checkered countertop in a bright kitchen with white cabinets and various kitchen items in the background.
A hand with red nail polish holds a white plate with six piles of spices, next to a raw chicken on a wooden surface in a kitchen.
Every great roasted chicken starts with an incredible seasoned butter rub! 1 stick salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
1 teaspoon Adobo Seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1½ teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons Black Pepper
A hand with red nails scoops Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base from a jar over a bowl with butter, spices, and herbs. A raw chicken and checkered cloth are visible in the background.
A bowl with a stick of butter topped with spices and mustard sits on a wooden counter; raw chicken is visible nearby on a cutting board.
A hand with red nail polish holds a spoonful of seasoned paste over a bowl, with a raw chicken and a checkered cutting board in the background.
A hand with red nail polish spreads a thick orange spice paste onto a raw whole chicken on a checkered cutting board in a kitchen.
Slather that butter into every little nook and cranny of the whole roast chicken!
Liquid is being poured into a hot, black cast iron skillet on a wooden countertop, creating bubbles and foam in the center of the pan.
Pour about a quarter of the can of beer right into the cast iron skillet!
A person with red nail polish places fresh herbs into the opening of a red soda can, with a cast iron pan filled with liquid in the background.
My secret? Leave the remaining beer in the can, stuff it with fresh herbs, and fill the rest of the can up to the top with water! This will infuse your whole roasted chicken with moisture and fresh flavor!
A whole raw chicken coated in orange-colored marinade sits on a black and white checkered tray on a light-colored countertop.
A can of Budweiser stands in a cast iron skillet with melted butter, rosemary, and butter cubes. A person with red nails adds another butter cube.
Fresh rosemary, thyme, beer and butter make the most incredible pan drippings!
A raw seasoned chicken on a cutting board sits next to a cast iron skillet containing a beer can, butter cubes, rosemary, and garlic cloves, ready for cooking.
A whole raw chicken coated in seasoning sits upright on a can in a cast iron pan with herbs, butter cubes, and spices, ready to be cooked in a bright kitchen.
A woman in a patterned dress smiles and gestures excitedly toward a seasoned whole chicken upright in a pot, ready to be cooked in a kitchen with white cabinets and a vase of flowers.
I was even shocked of how easy this fat little goose was to prepare!!
Open oven with two metal racks inside, heating element visible at the bottom, and oven lights on, illuminating the interior.
Lower your racks to the bottom of your oven!
A whole seasoned chicken sits upright on a beer can in a cast iron skillet, placed inside an oven, ready to be roasted.
I absolutely LOVE my cast iron skillet, I use it for 90% of my recipes!!
A whole roasted chicken sits upright on a can inside a cast iron pan in an oven, with juices collecting in the pan and crispy, browned skin on the chicken.
The Chicken grips the can and stays snug as a bug in a rug the whole time she’s roasting In the oven!
A whole roasted chicken is upright in a cast iron skillet, sitting on a can, with a charred, seasoned skin. Kitchen background with flowers visible.
Let it rest before removing it from the beer can—it’s worth the wait!
A woman in a kitchen, wearing an oven mitt, smiles excitedly behind a roasted chicken cooked upright in a cast iron skillet on top of a can.
A roasted chicken is being lifted from a cast iron skillet, with a Budweiser beer can inserted inside. A hand with red painted nails holds the chicken. There is reddish liquid at the bottom of the skillet.
Tip: Ask for a family member or friend to help you remove the can from the chicken! Wait for it to cool down and tell your lovely assistant to hold the bottom of the beer can with a pair of tongs while you slide your beer belly whole roasted chicken right off!
A close-up of mashed potatoes with herbs in a white dish, with a spoon lifting a portion. In the background, a roasted chicken sits in a black cast iron pan.
A plate of creamy mashed potatoes mixed with herbs, topped with a generous drizzle of reddish-brown gravy or spiced oil, sits on a white plate over a black-and-white checkered surface.
Spoon those pan drippings all over creamy mashed potatoes!
A whole roasted chicken with crispy, golden skin sits on a white plate, with juices pooling beneath it. A black cast iron skillet is visible in the background on a kitchen counter.
A close-up of a roasted chicken being carved with a knife and fork, showing juicy, tender white and dark meat inside, on a white plate.
Look how MOIST!!!!
A roasted chicken leg sits on mashed potatoes in a white bowl, with orange-colored gravy pooling around it. The dish is placed on a checkered black, white, and gold table.
MAKE IT!!

Melissa’s Tips!

  • Choose a chicken that’s as close to 3 pounds as possible for the juiciest results.
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before adding the butter mixture.
  • The chicken will NOT taste like beer. The beer simply creates steam that keeps the chicken unbelievably moist.
  • Don’t waste money on a fancy beer can chicken holder. My beer can trick with the remaining beer and topped off with some water works perfectly.
  • Always use a regular 12-ounce beer can.
  • Let the chicken rest 20–25 minutes before removing it from the can. This will lock the moisture in to your chicken AND allow the beer can to cool enough to handle it.
  • The beer can stays hotter than the chicken, so handle it carefully.
  • Don’t throw away those buttery pan juices—they’re one of the best parts of the recipe.
  • If you like a thicker gravy, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk it into the pan juices on the stove top. Bring it all up to a boil then drop it to a simmer and stir until it’s thicker.

🤔 Common Questions

Will the chicken taste like beer?

Not at all! The beer creates steam while the chicken cooks, making it incredibly juicy without adding a beer flavor. AND… you won’t get drunk, I promise!

Can I use a different type of beer?

Absolutely! Any regular beer works great. There’s no need to splurge on a fancy craft beer. But, be sure it s a 12ox can, no bigger, no smaller!

Do I need a beer can chicken holder?

No! My water-filled beer can trick keeps the chicken perfectly stable, so there’s no need to buy any special equipment.

I can’t drink alcohol, what can I use instead of beer?

No worries! You can use Root beer, Cola, non-alcoholic beer, or use can empty a beer can and fill it with Chicken broth! Just remember, whatever you replace it with, must be a can and must be 12oz!

A whole roasted chicken is upright in a cast iron skillet, sitting on a can, with a charred, seasoned skin. Kitchen background with flowers visible.

Beer Belly Whole Roasted Chicken (In The Oven)

This Beer Belly Whole Roasted Chicken is unbelievably juicy with crispy buttery skin, rich herb pan juices, and a simple beer can trick that keeps the chicken moist without tasting like beer. Pair it with my easy mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 1738 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

Step 1: Prep the Chicken

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F and position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
  • Remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken and clean the inside well. Pat the entire chicken completely dry with paper towels. This helps the skin become beautifully golden and crispy while roasting.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, Adobo seasoning, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir until it forms a smooth, flavorful butter paste.
  • Rub the butter mixture all over the chicken, making sure to coat every inch—including the front, back, wings, legs, and inside the cavity. Don’t be shy! Get into every little nook and cranny.

Step 2: Set Up the Beer Can Chicken

  • Open a 12-ounce can of beer.
  • Use a regular-sized can only. Don’t grab a tall can or oversized beer. The standard 12-ounce can is exactly what you want for this recipe.
  • Pour about ¼ of the beer into the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet.
  • Leave the remaining beer inside the can, then tuck 1–2 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 1–2 sprigs of fresh thyme into the can.
  • Now place the can under the faucet and fill it the rest of the way with water.

Melissa’s Secret Hack

  • This is the trick!
  • By filling the beer can with water, it becomes much heavier and easily supports the weight of the chicken. You don’t need to buy a special beer can chicken holder—this simple trick works perfectly every time.
  • Place the beer can in the center of the cast-iron skillet.
  • Scatter a few additional sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the skillet.
  • Cut a half stick of butter into pats and scatter them around the skillet.
  • Gently lower the chicken over the beer can so it stands upright. If needed, gently open the cavity just enough for it to slide securely over the can.
  • The chicken will be snug as a bug in a rug before it goes into the oven.

Step 3: Roast the Chicken

  • Carefully transfer the cast-iron skillet to the oven.
  • Close the oven door gently and leave the chicken completely undisturbed for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F and the thigh reaches 175–180°F.
  • Resist the urge to keep opening the oven. Let the chicken roast without disturbing it so it cooks evenly and stays incredibly juicy.

Step 4: Let It Rest

  • Remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface.
  • Leave the chicken sitting upright on the beer can for 20–25 minutes.
  • This resting time allows all of those incredible juices to settle back into the meat.
  • Important! Remember that the beer can will stay much hotter than the chicken because it’s metal. Letting everything cool slightly makes removing the chicken much safer.
  • Have someone hold the beer can steady with a pair of tongs while you carefully lift the chicken straight up off the can.
  • Discard the beer can carefully.

Step 5: Don’t Waste Those Pan Juices!

  • Now take a look at the bottom of your skillet…
  • Those buttery pan juices are absolute liquid gold.
  • You can leave them exactly as they are (my favorite way!) or, if you’d like a thicker gravy, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, stir it into the pan juices, and simmer on the stovetop until thickened.
  • Serve those buttery pan drippings over mashed potatoes, rice, stuffing, or roasted vegetables.
  • Trust me—you won’t want to waste a single drop!!

Nutrition

Calories: 1738kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 145gFat: 117gSaturated Fat: 34gPolyunsaturated Fat: 25gMonounsaturated Fat: 48gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 575mgSodium: 5235mgPotassium: 1739mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2229IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 244mgIron: 11mg
Keyword rotiserrie chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Save any extra pan juices separately and spoon them over the chicken when reheating to keep it extra moist.


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