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Note: This recipe was developed using the Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Fryer. If you are cooking using the Char-Broil Smoker-Roaster Grill you should cook with the lid open and the temperature set to High. You might also need to adjust the cooking time.
I’ve been hankerin’ for that rotisserie chicken flavor, but without having to get a rotisserie accessory for my grill. The solution? Rotisserie-style chicken done up right on the Char-Broil Big Easy. As with all chicken done on the Big Easy, the end result is moist, tender and packed with flavor. And yes, it has the best crispy skin ever!
Perfect Chicken Every Time
The rotisserie-style rub contains brown sugar, which means it can get a little dark when exposed to high heat, like you get in a Big Easy. I thought it came out great, but the legs and wings do get a little char on them (it was a mighty tasty char, I must add). You can leave out the brown sugar, but you won’t quite get that lovely dark rotisserie color you find on the chickens you see in the store. You want your rotisserie-style chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy to be as close to the real thing as possible!
Also try my Raging River chicken from the Big Easy.
If you have a gas or charcoal grill with a rotisserie, you’ll love my easy rotisserie chicken too.
It’s always a good idea to keep a few spare grease trays on hand for your Char-Broil Big Easy.
Love your Big Easy as much I love mine? Check out my Big Easy Add-Ons page and my free Big Easy eCookbook!
Rotisserie-Style Chicken on the Char-Broil Big Easy
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken rinsed, patted dry (I used a 6 pound chicken)
For the rub (Note: This makes a big batch, plenty for a whole lot of chickens. Keep in an air-tight container. Feel free to scale the recipe if needed.)
- ¾ cup Kosher salt
- ¼ cup paprika
- ¼ cup onion powder
- ¼ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup brown sugar Note: The sugar will caramelize and make your chicken darker in color and may char on thinner parts of the chicken, such as the wings. Omit the sugar if you are concerned about the chicken being too dark. You can always add it in for applications where you’re not cooking under such high heat as you are within a Big Easy.
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your Big Easy.
- Spray the Big Easy basket with non-stick spray.
- Combine the rub ingredients and sprinkle over the chicken. Get all sides, everywhere. Rub it in good. Don’t be too shy with it. Note: The sugar in the rub will char in high heat. Omit it if you want a golden skin, leave it in if you don’t mind darker skin.
- Lower the chicken into the Big Easy and cook until done, usually 15-20 minutes per pound.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. The skin will be incredibly delicious!
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
When you cook the chicken, do you leave it breast side up the whole cook time?
Greetings Todd. I did keep my chicken breast side up. I didn’t rotate it at all. I just added it to the basket and basically forgot about it for 15 minutes per pound. You can also stand the chicken up, like a beer-can chicken, but this particular bird didn’t want to cooperate so I just placed it into the bottom of the basket.
Regards,
Mike
I’ve followed this recipe twice and have stood one whole chicken breast up on a beer can stand and the other whole chicken breast side up in the bottom of the basket. Why is the later whole chicken bottom all soggy when the rest of it is cooked to 165? It looks nasty. The chicken that I placed on the beer can stand was cooked all around. Should the bottom whole chicken be placed in another higher rack? Everything tasted great! Fantastic recipe that I ad-lib’d some. So what’s up with the soggy bottom? How can I prevent this?
Hi Chris. Sounds like all the juices settled to the bottom and kept it soggy. Mine definitely wasn’t, but maybe I got lucky. I would try standing it up, either like you said using a beer can holder, or just lean it against the sides of the rack. You can move it to a top rack but you’ll likely find that the cook time will be longer.
Regards,
Mike
I’m cooking one now and have about 35 minute left, and after reading this comment I decided to go out and check the underside of my bird. Yep, it was kinda soft, not crispy. I got a pair of long handled tongs, stuck one in the cavity, grabbed hold and flipped it over for the remainder of the cooking! I think it’ll be perfect! Like the other guest, I’ve done them standing up which gives it a more uniform crispness. This one wasn’t having it and I didn’t have any cans of beer to prop it up on. So I had to lay it flat, then turn it. I think it’s going to be fine but do glad I read these comments!! But holy moly..it’s hot in there!!
What temperature do you put the Big Easy at, Low, Medium or High?
Philip, I have the Oil-Less turkey fryer model of the Big Easy, which has only one heat setting: On. Sounds like you have the Smoker, Roaster and Grill (SRG). I don’t have any experience with the SRG, but I’ve had others that the equivalent setting would be ‘High’. As always, though, keep an eye on your bird temp. Once you’ve done one you’ll have a feel for the time and heat setting. For mine it’s generally 15 minutes/pound.
Regards,
Mike
Do you ever use a brine when doing rotisserie style chicken and if so do you have any recipes
Hi Philip. I have on occasion brined my chicken. When I do, I use this recipe:
http://www.lifesatomato.com/2013/06/09/chicken-brine/
Honestly, I find that the Big Easy does such a great job, producing a great tender, moist chicken that I don’t usually bother brining. You certainly can to add more flavor, but you’re likely to not get crunchy skin.
Regards,
Mike
Have you tried adding a beer to the beer can holder? Just wondering how this would fare!
Oh yes! I love it. Here’s a sampling. I have a few more posts I’m working on where I made beer can chicken on the Big Easy. I’ll have them out soon.
http://www.lifesatomato.com/2016/03/05/ragin-cajun-beer-can-chicken-on-the-char-broil-big-easy/
Mike
I just bought a charbroil big easy from my neighbor that has never been used and I am anxiously waiting to try it out…..and I appreciate the info that you have here !!!! I will try this recipe and many more…. I am from south Louisiana and love food/cooking….thank you for your guidance!!!!
I have the SRG. Do I close the cover while cooking?
thanks for your help
I would at least for some of the cook. You might want to check the temps after 15 min/pound or even earlier. Since I don’t have an SRG I can’t say for sure but I’d be worried about it cooking faster.
Can I cook 2 chickens at the same time? How would I arrange them, and how would that affect cooking time.
Yes you can cook two at once, but you’ll want to use a bunk bed basket to do it. Put the first chicken (can’t get a super large one) in the bottom of your standard basket, and then add the bunk bed and other chicken. Cook times are something you will have to watch. One can certainly get done before the other. If you notice one cooking faster than the other you can rotate them, or just remove the first one done and let the other finish cooking. I’m not sure how it’ll affect your total cooking time. I usually count on 10-20 minutes per pound.
Mike
Mike, I’m cooking 2 chickens right now, up and down style. I use metal kebob skewers to hold the chickens up – 2 in the bottom one in a X pattern, and 2 more in the top one. works great.
Heat rises. Keep your chicken elevated.
Been doing this for 7 years and never a fail or ‘soggy’ chicken.