Jerk Grilled Whole Chicken

Name: Jerk Grilled Whole Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Ingredients: 5 lbs whole chicken; 4 TBSP jerk seasoning blend; 4 TBSP grape-seed oil; 1/2 TBSP kosher salt; 2 tsp black pepper; 1 lemon

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A mouthwatering grilled whole chicken recipe infused with a flavorful jerk marinade and finished with a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Summer is approaching and that means grilling season is in the air. Are you pumped? Are you looking forward to whipping up some fun and delicious grilling recipes to serve you're family or for entertaining with friends? If so, you've come to the right spot. I've dedicated a section of my website to fun and easy Grilling Recipes that I hope will inspire you to 'get grilling'.

Have you ever thought about actually grilling a whole chicken? It's totally fine if your answer is... not really. I get it. Growing up, I can't recall one time in which my family grilled a whole chicken. It may seem kind of daunting especially if you're used to grilling chicken wings and chicken legs, however, grilling a whole chicken is really easy and requires a little longer cooking time.

If you continue to follow along, you'll learn 'PRO TIPS' that will make this process easier than you think, shorten your cooking time a bit, and the end result will be a juicy grilled whole chicken.

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Ingredients
Essentials
How to grill a whole chicken on a charcoal grill
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips
Other grilling recipes you may like
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Whole chicken (organic or non-organic)
Jerk seasoning (homemade or store brand)
Grape-seed oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Lemon

Essentials

Charcoal grill
Charcoals
Lighter fluid
Kitchen shears to spatchcock/butterfly the chicken (for removing the chicken's backbone)
Baking sheet (for carrying chicken to outdoor grill)
Foil (for lining baking sheet for easy clean-up
Paper towels (to pat dry the chicken)
Tongs (for flipping chicken over)

How to grill a whole chicken on a charcoal grill

I'm all for washing the chicken first, but if you're not into washing your chicken... no judgement here. Here's what the USDA suggests. If it's not your thing, that's totally fine just omit this step and move on to the next step.
Place the chicken on a prepared baking sheet by lining it with foil for easy clean-up.
Spatchcock/Butterfly Chicken: Remove the giblets and flip the chicken so the breast side is down, take your kitchen shears and cut along both side of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken so the skin-side is up and using both palms of your hands push the breast down so it flattens as much as possible. For step-by-steps photos and instructions on how to spatchcock a chicken check out this post, Cajun Spatchcock Chicken Recipe.
Marinade the chicken.
Season with kosher salt and black pepper and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Prep the grill and preheat between 325 degrees F to 350 degrees F and adjust the vents to maintain the temperature.
Place the bird on the grill and close the lid.
During the last 30 seconds or minute, place a half of lemon on the grill grates, remove both the chicken and lemon and place on a clean platter or baking sheet.
Squeeze the juice from the grilled lemon over the top of the chicken and allow the chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

For detailed instructions on how to grill a whole chicken, please refer to the recipe card below.

raw spatchcock chicken on parchment paper

grilled chicken on platter next to grilled lemon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long to grill a whole chicken

This will be based on the size of your chicken and the temperature of your charcoal grill. If the temperature of your grill is between 325 degrees F and 350 degrees F, you may be looking at 1hr and 15 mins of cooking time. However, the temperature of one's grill can vary. Instead of focusing on cooking time, it is more important to focus on the internal temperature of your chicken. To do this, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. If it registers to 165 degrees F. Your chicken is done.

Should you flip a spatchcock chicken when grilling

Although it isn't necessary, I recommend flipping the chicken to create the slightly charred crispy outer coating of the skin. First grill the chicken with the skin-side up after several minutes then flip so the skin-side is down until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F. I find that this method will ensure that the skin doesn't stick to the grill.

How do you grill chicken without drying it out

The best and 'sure-fire-way' to prevent your chicken from drying out is to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. For example, when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F, the chicken is done and will be moist.
In addition to using the meat thermometer, brining or marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours will also ensure a moist and juicy chicken.

Tips

When grilling a whole chicken, it's best to spatchcock aka butterfly your bird, so it cooks faster.
Before coating your chicken with the marinade, make sure you dry it thoroughly with paper towels.
Season generously with kosher salt unless you're following a low sodium diet.
Allow your bird to come to room temperature before placing it on the preheated grill.
Always use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure that you do not overcook your chicken.
To check the internal temperature of your chicken, always insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast when it registers to 165 degrees F, it's done.
When the chicken is done and you remove it from the grill allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes to retain the juices.
While you're in the grilling mood, why not grill up some veggies, like this 7 Minute Grilled Sugar Snap Pea Recipe or this Grilled Peppers Medley to make a complete meal. It only takes a few extra minutes.