How to Grill a Whole Chicken
If you've ever wondered how to cook a whole chicken on the grill, it's easier than you probably imagined. Roasting a chicken on the grill produces a flavorful and tender chicken that is perfect for dinner or a special occasion.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 171kcal
Equipment
- Kitchen Knife
- Mixing Bowls
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
Ingredients for Grilled Chicken
- 4 lb whole chicken
- 3 lemon you'll use the zest and juice of 2 lemons, then 3-4 slices from the 3rd lemon to set on top of chicken while it cooks.
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 lemon rinds saved from lemons zested & juiced for outside
- ½ bulb garlic
- 4 tsp olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Carefully unwrap your chicken over the sink. Check the inside cavity for any giblet packaging, then remove and discard. There’s no need to rinse the chicken, just pat it dry with some paper towels and set it aside. 4 lb whole chicken
- Preheat grill to 375º
- Create aromatics - Zest and juice 2 lemons and set aside. Combine the parsley, 2 lemon rinds, and one half bulb of garlic, then add it to the inside of the chicken. 3 lemon 2 tbsp dried parsley 2 lemon rinds 1/2 bulb garlic
- Season the chicken - Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt & pepper, and parsley. Drizzle on top of the chicken, making sure to coat the chicken breast, wings, and thighs. 4 tsp olive oil salt & pepper 1 tbsp dried parsley
- Get ready to grill - Slice the third lemon. Place chicken on the grill, breast side up, and lay your lemon slices on top.
- Cook - Grill your chicken until it’s internal temperature reaches 165º. Our 5 pound chicken took about one hour.
- Let it rest - Carefully remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Carve & serve!
Notes
Recipe tips:
- Cooking time will vary, but the general rule of thumb is to grill for about 12 – 15 minutes per pound. Check that the temperature has reached 165º by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh, keeping it away from any bones. If you’ve got a two or three pound bird it may only take 30 minutes or 45 minutes to cook.
- If you like to smoke meat, you can do that here by adding your favorite (soaked) wood chips to a smoker box and set it inside your gas grill. You may want to put the smoker box over indirect heat so that the wood chips smolder slowly.
- This is a great recipe to make homemade chicken stock with.
Nutrition
Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 21.7g | Fat: 8.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.7g | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg