The total cooking time will vary on the size of the chicken. A 4-pound chicken will take about 1½ hours.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, neck and giblets rmoved, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 salt
- 1 can lemonade or iced tea not diet
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Directions
Preheat the grill to high with the lid down until very hot, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pat the surface of the chicken dry with a paper towel. Rub the chicken with the olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, pepper and salt. Pour about half of the liquid out of the can and place the tail end of the chicken onto the can so that it looks like the chicken is sitting upright, using the legs and the can to support the chicken.
When ready to grill, leave one burner on high and turn the other to medium low. Place the upright chicken on the cooler side of the grill and lower the cover. In about one hour, the chicken should be nicely browned. The total cooking time will vary on the size of the chicken. A 4-pound chicken will take about 1½ hours. Check to see if the chicken is done using an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 160 to 165 degrees.
Carefully transfer to a shallow pan with the help of tongs or a large metal spatula. Let the chicken stand for 15 minutes. Carefully lift it off the can. Carve into pieces and serve immediately with lemon wedges. Serves 4.
QUICK TIP: Two additional ways to test whether a whole chicken is done is to wiggle the leg. If it moves freely at the leg socket, it’s done. Another good indicator is to pierce the thigh with the tip of a knife. If the juices run clear, it’s done.
Photo by Jodi Miller