Curious if Potatoes Work with Beer Can Chicken? Find Out Here

Every time I make beer chicken, it is eaten up. Many friends want to make it at home, but don’t know if they can add potatoes. The answer is of course you can, but you need to pay attention to some techniques.

Can i add potatoes to beer can chicken?

Of course you can add potatoes to your beer chicken.

In fact, adding potatoes to beer chicken is a good idea. Potatoes can make the whole dish more flavorful. At the same time, potatoes can not only absorb the aroma of chicken and beer, but also increase the richness of the taste.

When you make beer chicken, you can choose to cut or slice potatoes and put them around or at the bottom of the chicken. The potatoes will become very soft and tender during the baking process, with a slightly crispy surface and the inside full of beer flavor, which tastes super delicious. If you like, you can sprinkle some spices or olive oil on the potatoes, so that the potatoes will become more intense.

When adding potatoes to the beer chicken, I personally recommend choosing softer and more tender potato varieties, such as yellow potatoes, which will result in better roasting!

What's the best kind of beer for beer can chicken?

When making beer chicken, the choice of beer is very important, because the flavor of beer will directly affect the taste of the whole dish. Here are some beers I recommend:

Lager

Light beer is the most classic choice, with a light taste and mild flavor. It will not steal the main flavor of the chicken, and it can also give the chicken a hint of fresh malt aroma. This beer is very suitable for friends who are trying beer chicken for the first time.

Wheat Beer

Wheat beer has a strong fruity and floral aroma. When paired with chicken, it can add more layers of flavor to the chicken, making it suitable for making beer chicken in summer. It can make the flavor of the whole dish more refreshing and less greasy.

Amber Ale

If you want beer chicken to have a little caramel flavor and a stronger flavor, try amber beer. The malt aroma of amber beer can make the taste of chicken more profound, especially for friends who like strong flavors.

Stout/Porter

Want to try a bolder flavor? Dark beer is a good choice. The rich chocolate and coffee flavor of dark beer will bring an unexpected aroma to the chicken, which is perfect for cold winter days. But you need to be aware that dark beer has a strong flavor, so when using it, you can reduce the amount of other strong flavors to avoid covering up the taste of the chicken itself.

My suggestion

Personally, I prefer light beer and wheat beer. These two beers have a refreshing taste and can blend well with the ingredients in beer chicken.

What is the best liquid to use for beer can chicken?

The most suitable liquid for making beer chicken is definitely beer. Beer is the core liquid for making beer chicken. It is generally recommended to choose light beer or wheat beer with a refreshing taste. These two beers have a mild flavor and can well highlight the aroma of chicken.

If you want the beer to taste more tender, you can choose to use chicken soup. Adding some chicken soup when making beer chicken can help balance the bitterness of beer and make the overall flavor more mellow. The ratio of beer to chicken legs is 2:1.

If you want to get creative, then consider adding some apple cider or apple juice to the beer chicken, which can make the chicken taste even better and have a fruity flavor, which is especially suitable for the fall and winter seasons.

Tips

Beer selection: No matter what kind of beer you use, choose high-quality beer without too many additives or artificial flavors, the flavor will be more natural.

Liquid amount: Make sure the amount of beer or liquid is moderate. Usually, keep 1/3 of the bottom of the chicken soaked in liquid to avoid too much liquid affecting the baking effect.

What is a good side for beer can chicken?

There are many dishes that are suitable for pairing with beer chicken, mainly the following:

Roasted vegetables

Roasted vegetables and beer chicken go very well together. They can neutralize the salty flavor of beer chicken and make it taste richer. You can choose high temperature resistant vegetables such as carrots, onions, bell peppers, and potatoes.

Stir-fried green leafy vegetables

If you want to make the whole dish more refreshing, you can choose to stir-fry green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale or lettuce. These vegetables not only provide a refreshing taste, but also balance the strong taste of beer chicken. A slight garlic flavor or lemon juice can enhance the taste and make the whole meal more refreshing.

Sauerkraut

You should know that beer chicken itself has a strong taste. If you eat too much, it will feel greasy. You can balance it with some sour foods. Sauerkraut is a good choice. It can be refreshing and relieve greasiness, and can enhance the layering of the dish.

Salad

If you value a balanced diet, you can eat it with salad. You can use lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers as the base, and a refreshing salad dressing made with olive oil and vinegar. The crisp taste of the salad contrasts with the tenderness of the beer chicken, which has both layered taste and will not steal the flavor of the chicken.

Steamed corn

If you like to eat staple foods, you can also eat it with steamed corn. The sweetness of the corn complements the aroma of the beer chicken, which can make the whole dish more diverse.

How long do i cook a beer can chicken on the grill?

It depends on the actual situation:

If the chicken is around 1.5-2 kg, you can preheat the grill to 180-200°C, then put the beer can chicken on it and grill it for about 60-90 minutes.

When baking for 30-40 minutes, it is best to turn the chicken over so that the chicken is heated more evenly, so that the color will look good when baked and both sides can be baked golden and crispy.

10-15 minutes before the chicken is done, you can take it out, brush it with a layer of your favorite sauce or honey water, and put it back on the grill. This will make the chicken skin more shiny and the flavor richer.

How to tell if beer can chicken is cooked through?

You can tell whether the chicken is cooked by the following methods.

Thermometer measurement method

Measuring with a thermometer is the most reliable and accurate method. Just insert the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the chicken. When the thermometer shows a temperature of 75℃ - 80℃, it means that the beer can chicken is cooked through.

Observe the color of chicken skin

Normally, the roasted beer chicken will be an attractive golden color. Although it looks greasy, it is particularly shiny. If the chicken skin is still white or the color looks uneven, it means it is not baked yet.

Press-to-rebound method

You can gently press the surface of the chicken with your hand. If the chicken is very elastic and bounces back quickly after pressing, it means it is basically cooked. Raw chicken is not that elastic.

View Juice Method

You can use a clean knife to make a small cut in the thickest part of the chicken, just enough to see inside. If the juices that come out are clear and transparent, without any blood or impurities, then the chicken is cooked through. But if the juices are still pink, or if you can see obvious blood, put the chicken back in the oven or on the grill and continue to roast for a while.

Observation of joint position

You can also look at the joints of the chicken, such as where the legs and wings connect to the body. If the meat at these joints is cooked through, it will appear firm and the color will be the same as other parts, a uniform cooked color.

Secondly, you can use chopsticks or a fork to gently poke the joint. If it feels easy to poke in without the resistance of raw meat, then the joint is cooked and the whole chicken is basically cooked.