Want the ultimate grilled feast no oven can ever replicate? Learn how to grill a whole chicken over charcoal and dinner will never be the same.
Shortly after my wife and I started dating we took a weekend trip to Chicago. In-between getting lost looking for that giant metallic bean from outer space that landed in Millennium Park, and getting drenched with a deluge of puddle water from a passing car because I wasn’t smart enough to roll up my window, we went to The Publican for a nice meal.
I was really excited to try out one of Chicago’s best restaurants, and it didn’t disappoint. We ordered a very simplistic sounding half chicken and what arrived at my table completely blew my mind! It was the juiciest, most flavorful grilled chicken that had ever teased my taste buds. Flavor permeated every bite, and I was intoxicated by its essence.
Ever since that day, my eyes have been opened to the miraculous wonder that results from grilling a whole chicken. Now one of my annual bucket list items is firing up the charcoal grill and letting a whole chicken roast to perfection. I always look forward to savoring that deep flavor no oven can replicate.
How to Grill a Whole Chicken
Whether you rub it with bbq seasonings, sauce, or keep it minimalistic, a grilled whole chicken is guaranteed to be a show stopper. The method for grilling I use is very similar to the method perfected by the genius’ at Serious Eats.
The best charcoal to use when grilling a whole chicken is natural hardwood lump charcoal (affiliate link). It burns hotter and longer, so you need less of it. The key is to butterfly the chicken open so it can lay more evenly over the charcoal. Begin cooking it skin side up so the meat can come to temperature. Once it is approximately 30 degrees from done, the chicken is flipped over to allow the skin to crisp.
Are you wondering at what temperature the chicken is done? Chicken is done cooking when the meat reaches 165 degrees with a digital meat thermometer. And unless you are an experienced grill-master and you trust your instincts to perfectly time when your chicken is safe to eat, every household needs to have a good meat thermometer (affiliate link).
Looking for more outdoor chicken creations? Check out my bacon wrapped Smoked Chicken Breasts.
How to Grill a Whole Chicken Over Charcoal
Ingredients
- 1 whole Roaster Chicken
- Seasonings as desired
- 1 tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken by cutting out the spine.
- Place a skewer through from one thigh across to the other to keep the bird flat.
- Dust with your choice of seasonings. (Salt, fresh pepper, and paprika is a good place to start if you don’t have a seasoning recipe ready)
- Place charcoal on one side of the grill in a pile and light.
- Once the charcoal is hot, clean and oil the grate with a brush. (The grate can be oiled by applying oil to a paper towel and brushing on with the grate cleaning brush.)
- Place the chicken on the grate opposite of the hot coals with the legs facing the heat and proceed to cook skin-side-up until you are within ~30 degrees of the serving temperature.
- Rotate the chicken 180 degrees if necessary if the legs are cooking too fast.
- Move the chicken directly over the hot coals and place skin-side-down to allow for the skin to crisp.
- Continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165 degrees and is safe to eat.
- Let the chicken rest 10 minute prior to slicing to allow juices to settle.
Notes
Nutritional Information
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Matt @ Plating Pixels
Cooking on charcoal can be a tricky proposition, especially the whole bird. Inderict heat would definitely do the trick. Might have to try this. I've done beer can chicken, which is another nice trick to add moisture and flavor.
Whitney
Brilliant! I think I will adapt this to cook in my tandoor!
Immaculate
Totally trying this out! I do a lot of grilling year round (we have warm weather year round) but have never tried it this way. It looks so crispy and moist. Thanks for sharing!
Debra @ Worth Cooking
I so need to get a grill...
Fox Valley Foodie
I feel your pain. I went years without owning one while I lived in an apartment.
Tamara
I'm totally "sold" on butterflying a chicken to get more even results. I've tried this on my gas grill, but we're wanting to do more charcoal. Thanks for a great post!
pam (Sidewalk Shoes)
I always butterfly my chicken when I grill it, but I never thought to run a skewer through the thighs like that! That's going to make it so much easier!
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)
What a great post. I have always wondered if I could just cook a whole chicken on the grill. It is too hot to use our oven right now so this is perfect for us.
Ariel
Chicago is such a beautiful city! Hunting for the bean really is tricky though! Can't tell you how long it took us to find it! Lol but this chicken looks amazing! We recently got a charcoal grill, but I haven't tried cooking chicken on it yet, so you can bet I'll give this a try! Thank you so much for the advice!
Fox Valley Foodie
I completely agree! Chicago is one of my favorite weekend getaways! Though, we don't get down there nearly enough.
Byron Thomas
I love roasted chicken. I bet this one is crispy and juicy at the same time!
Fox Valley Foodie
You are right, it really is a fantastic way to enjoy chicken!
Amanda @ The Chunky Chef
Oh wow that looks so tasty!! I love the char and that great grilled taste that you can't get any other way 🙂
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert
I've never cooked a whole chicken on a grill, it always seemed so intimidating. I will definitely give this a try though, I love the instructions!
Fox Valley Foodie
You won't regret it!
Maggie
The flavor coming from charcoal is so wonderful and you just can't get it from an oven. I never tried roasting whole chicken on charcoal, but this sounds totally doable. I'm wonderful whether I can use wet rub on the chicken. It's definitely something I'd like to try out.
Fox Valley Foodie
I'd bet you could. I was contemplating trying one out when I grilled this guy up. If you give a wet rub a try, let me know how it goes.
Ify Nzeka
These look really yummy and i love all things grilled with the word "charcoal" in them! Now i know how to grill a whole chicken on coals and will be trying it pretty soon! Thank you! 🙂
Fox Valley Foodie
Charcoal makes everything better! Well, except drinks I suppose lol 🙂
Sara
We grill almost every weekend but we've never done a whole chicken like this. It looks so delicious, I can't wait to try!
Fox Valley Foodie
I'm trying to make it a point to fire up the grill more often. It is just one of those fleeting benefits of summer that I don't want to take for granted!