How to BBQ a Whole Chicken Without a Rotisserie

It's easy to learn how to BBQ a whole chicken without having a rotisserie attachment for your grill and get that great tasty tender chicken falling off the bone. Cooking a whole chicken on the grill is another sit and forget meal. It takes time, but most of that time you don't need to be doing anything to it.

Grilling a whole chicken has a different flavor than cooking boneless pieces. The bones help the meat cook more evenly and add their own flavor.

Remove the giblets and neck from the body cavity if they're there and any obvious excess fat that pulls off easily. 

Rinse the whole bird under cold water and pat dry. 

Lightly coat the entire bird inside/out with olive oil then apply a spice rub or marinate the chicken. This is where your flavor comes from and you get to decide if your chicken is going to be spicy or garlicky or sweet or whatever your taste buds are craving. This is the fun part where you add your own touch. A rub should sit for no more than 3 hours and a marinade should cover the chicken for at least 4 hours.

You can stuff the cavity of the bird with either lemons, apples, onlon or all of them. Tuck the tail in the cavity to help close it and then get some string to truss the bird.  If the cavity isn't close the chicken may dry out.

Set the grill up for indirect grilling with medium heat. Remember to place a pan with water or apple juice under the chicken away from the coals.  This will help provide moisture.  Place the chicken breast side up.. Cooking time will be dependent on the heat of the fire and the weight of the chicken. The chicken will be done when the meat thermometer reads 160 degrees and the thigh bone moves easily. Avoid piercing the chicken to see if it's done as you will lose all that juice you've been working so hard to create.

Once you understand how to BBQ a whole chicken on the grill, you see that it is indeed an easy job and can begin to experiment with the fun stuff of seasoning. Then the chicken will take on your own signature and you will enjoy this easy main dish over and over again.

This is some good eatin'
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