Finding a truly low-carb beer, especially one that comes in a can, is surprisingly difficult, and a can is essential for this recipe. When Next Beer was released in cans, I stocked up immediately. While it can be harder to find now, I have still spotted it at Kroger and Walmart at a reasonable price. On its own, Next Beer is extremely light, with a mild, almost seltzer-like taste that may not appeal to everyone for sipping, but when it comes to cooking, it really shines.
I have used low-carb beer in my Low-Carb Beer Bread and Beer Brats, and now it makes a perfect addition to this Low-Carb Beer-in-the-Rear Chicken. As the chicken roasts, the beer gently steams from the inside, infusing the meat with flavor and keeping it incredibly moist and tender from top to bottom. The result is juicy, flavorful chicken with minimal effort and maximum payoff.
Easy-to-Find Low-Carb Beer Options
If Next Beer isn’t available near you, these low-carb beers also work well in cooking and are easier to find:
- Michelob Ultra (2.6g carbs)
- Miller Lite (3.2g carbs)
- Budweiser Select 55 (1.9g carbs)
- Corona Premier (2.6g carbs)
- Yuengling Flight (2.6g carbs)
These beers are light and mild, making them perfect for recipes that call for flavor without adding unnecessary carbs.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
Any kind of seasoning or chicken rub
1 can beer (I used Next beer by Bud Light, but any beer in a can will do)
Instructions
Remove one of the oven racks and replace the remaining rack on the lowest level. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse the thawed whole chicken inside and out. Pat it dry.
Season the whole chicken with the seasoning you intend to use. Any season that you prefer works well for this recipe. Rub the seasoning all over the inside, outside and under the skin.
Pop the top off the can of beer and pour about 1/3 of it into a glass. Place the can in the middle of a baking sheet. Now, don’t let that beer in the glass go to waste-drink it!
Slip the chicken over the can of beer through the larger opening of the whole chicken. The chicken will roast in the oven in an upright position. Place the baking sheet with the chicken in the oven, which can be a little bit tricky. One way to do this is to have a spotter to make sure the chicken does not fall over in transit to the oven. Alternatively, you can place the baking sheet on the extended oven rack; then, place the beer can and chicken on the tray. Push the rack carefully back into the oven to begin roasting. Roast in the oven for 1-1/2 hours.
Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Low-Carb Beer in the Rear Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, thawed
- Any kind of seasoning or chicken rub
- 1 can beer (I used Next beer by Bud Light, but any beer in a can will do)
Instructions
- Remove one of the racks in the oven and replace the remaining rack on the lowest level.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Rinse the thawed whole chicken inside and out. Pat it dry.
- Rub the seasoning all over the inside, outside and under the skin.
- Pop the top off the can of beer and pour about 1/3 of it into a glass.
- Place the can in the middle of a baking sheet.
- Slip the chicken over the can of beer through the larger opening of the whole chicken. The chicken will roast in the oven in an upright position.
- Place the baking sheet with the chicken in the oven, which can be a little bit tricky. One way to do this is to have a spotter to make sure the chicken does not fall over in transit to the oven. Another way is to place the baking sheet on the extended oven rack; then, place the beer can and chicken on the tray.
- Push the rack carefully back into the oven to begin roasting.
- Roast in the oven for 1-1/2 hours.
- Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
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