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My Grilled Whole BBQ Chicken is tender, juicy and full of flavor. Grilling the whole chicken maintains the moisture and allows you to grill more food at the same time.
BBQ chicken is the first thing I cooked when I truly fell in love with cooking. I was 16 working my summer job and it was the end of the summer cookout, and I volunteered to grill with no experience mind you. I didn’t burn anything and we all were impressed that I made a delicious spread of grilled foods.
BBQ Chicken Cooking Tips:
This recipe is for a chicken between the weight of 3.5 – 4.5 lbs.
If you’re not a fan of onions, you can omit them or strain the sauce before using.
Double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd.
I recommend using the indirect cooking method for this recipe. Click this link to get more information on the indirect grilling method.
Can you make ahead?
Fridge: Sauce: Sauce can be made a day or two in advance. After sauce cools off, place in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days max.
BBQ Chicken: After chicken cools off, place in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days max.
Reheating: Sauce: Sauce can served at room temperature or turn on heat to medium, add all ingredients in a small or medium sauce pan, cook until mixture starts to boil. About 10 minutes or less.
BBQ Chicken: You can reheat the chicken on the grill over indirect heat or pop in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
Recipe Video:
Substitution Options:
This recipe works on any piece of chicken. You can use it on half chickens, legs, wings, breast, thighs, leg quarters or any other way you enjoy your chicken. Time will vary depending on the size of your chicken.
I didn’t specify what type of brown sugar because some people enjoy the deep maple flavor of dark brown sugar. While others enjoy the light caramel flavor of light brown sugar. Either will work great in the sauce.
You can omit using beer in the recipe but the beer will cook out any alcohol.
what to serve with BBQ Chicken?
Meal Ideas:
Whole chickens are a great way to feed a large crowd, and they’re not as hard to grill as you might think. By following my simple tips for grilling a whole chicken, your guests will be raving about how moist and delicious it was. So fire up the grill and get ready to make some amazing barbecue chicken! Have you tried this recipe? If so, leave me a rating and let me know what you think in the comments below.
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Recipe:
Grilled Whole BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken rinsed and dried
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon creole seasoning or seasoning salt
- 1 lemon cut in half
Homemade BBQ Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ medium onion chopped small
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning or seasoning salt
- ½ cup worcestershire
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 12-14 oz. bottle ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 6 oz. beer
Instructions
- On a sheet pan, season chicken evenly in the cavity and both sides with creole seasoning, place lemon in the cavity. cover with plastic wrap and sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. When you have 15 minutes remaining, preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Sear chicken for 2 minutes on the back side then transfer to the cold side of the grill, close, and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- While chicken is grilling, turn on the heat to medium high heat, in a medium sauce pan add the oil and onions, cook for 2 minutes. Add the creole seasoning, worcestershire, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and beer, stir a few times, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low, cook for 30 minutes.
- When 25 minutes are left on the chicken, baste chicken with bbq sauce every 10 minutes. Then baste again with sauce right before you remove the chicken. Serve extra sauce on the side.
