Gas Grill-Roasted Whole Chicken
Rub the bird with spices and flip it just once for crisp, bronzed skin and flavorful, moist meat. (And then try cooking it on a beer can.)
Gather Your Ingredients
Key Equipment
Before You Begin
If you choose not to brine, skip that part of step 1 and season the bird generously with salt inside and out before rubbing with spices. Or, better yet, use a kosher chicken (which is salted during processing). For added accuracy, place a grill thermometer in the lid vents as the chicken cooks. Wood chunks are not suitable for gas grills, and wood chips, which don’t add much smoky flavor, are more trouble than they’re worth. Instead, rely on the spice rub alone; it will supply ample aroma and flavor. While grill-roasting, adjust the lit burner as necessary to maintain a temperature of 325 to 350 degrees inside the grill.
Instructions
1.
Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Immerse chicken in salted water and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and rinse inside and out with cool running water; pat dry with paper towels. Massage spice rub all over chicken, inside and out. Lift up skin over breast and rub spice rub directly onto meat, (see illustration below).
2.
Light grill and turn all burners to high; cover and heat grill 15 minutes. Turn off all but one burner. Place chicken, breast-side down, over cool part of grill; close lid and grill-roast for 35 minutes. Turn chicken breast-side up, so that the leg and wing that were facing away from lit burner are now facing toward it. Close lid and continue grill-roasting until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
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