5 from 14 votes
Whole Grilled Chicken
This Whole Grilled Chicken recipe uses a spatchcock method to flatten the bird, enabling even cooking over two different heat zones on a charcoal grill. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and optionally basted with vegetable oil and barbecue sauce, it yields a juicy interior with crispy skin. Grilling skin side down at the end crisps the skin further. Thermometer monitoring ensures the chicken reaches just under full doneness before finishing.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
6
servings
Calories:
274 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 5 pounds whole chicken for frying
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for basting, optional
- barbecue sauce homemade or store bought, for basting and serving (optional)
Instructions
- Light your grill and mound your charcoal to one side of the grill, creating a "hotter" and a "less hot" side of the grill.
- Spatchcock and season your chicken - see notes below
- Add the chicken to the hot grill, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill. Place the chicken so that the legs are facing the hotter side of the grill, since they can take a little more cooking. Cover and allow the chicken to cook until it's nearly fully cooked (about 5 or so degrees away from 165F). This should take about an hour or so, use a meat thermometer to check when you think it might be getting close. The skin should start to dry out a little, if it seems like it's drying out too much you can brush it with a little vegetable oil.
- When the chicken is almost fully cooked, baste it with your sauce of choice (optional) and flip it over so it is skin side down on the hotter side of the grill. Cover and allow to cook for a few more minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is fully cooked. Make sure to check on it a couple times to make sure it isn't getting too charred for your liking. If you need to cook it a little longer but don't want the skin to get burnt, move it back to the middle or the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the grill and serve with your sides of choice!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Use kitchen shears to spatchcock, cutting along both sides of the backbone and removing it for even grilling.
- Flatten the chicken by pressing the breast firmly after removing backbone to promote even cooking.
- Season with salt and pepper or any preferred spice rub before grilling.
- Reserve the backbone for making chicken stock if desired.
- Baste with barbecue sauce near the end of cooking to prevent burning.
Nutrition Information
Serving
6ounces
Calories
274kcal
(14%)
Protein
20g
(40%)
Fat
21g
(32%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
(35%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
0.1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
82mg
(27%)
Sodium
76mg
(3%)
Potassium
206mg
(4%)
Vitamin A
152IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
12mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 6ounces | |
| Calories | 274kcal | 14% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 82mg | 27% |
| Sodium | 76mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 206mg | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 152IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 12mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.