How to Barbecue Rosemary Chicken on the Grill

Adding fresh rosemary to chicken adds a delicious flavor and is my favorite way to bbq chicken. As the chicken grills the rosemary becomes crisp and the chicken absorbs the rich flavor.

Ingredients for rosemary barbeque chicken (makes enough for two whole chickens)

• 1/4 cup Garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons Pepper
• 6 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 1 can Beer - I recommend a premium lager
• 1/2 cup (one cube) Butter
• Chicken - For BBQ chicken I recommend whole pieces of chicken with the bone and the skin. Otherwise, it gets dried out on the barbeque.

• Two platters for chicken. Use one to season and another to serve.
• Basting brush
• Small bowl for sauce
• BBQ tongs
• Sharp large barbeque knife

In a small bowl whisk the dry ingredients (garlic salt, pepper, rosemary) together. Be sure to pull the rosemary leaves from the sprigs. Season the chicken to taste. Rub the dry rub on each piece of chicken and try to get some under the skin. Let the chicken sit out for 45 minutes on the counter before cooking. It's important for the chicken to be room temperature before going on the grill.

In a small bowl add the beer and butter. Heat the sauce in the microwave until the butter is completely melted. Heat at 15 to 20 second increments and stir after each interval. Make sure the mixture doesn't boil over. Keep the sauce warm while barbecuing so it's easy to baste the chicken.

Place the chicken pieces on the grill with the bone side down. Flip the chicken pieces every six minutes for 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Baste the chicken with the butter beer sauce every 10 minutes. Once the chicken is completely cooked to 160 degrees (check with an instant read thermometer), remove it from the grill, place it on a serving platter and pour the remaining sauce on top of it. Let it sit ten minutes and serve.

*Note: Grilling chicken with the skin on can cause flare ups on a gas grill. To prevent flare ups, keep a cup of water handy and grill the meat on the top shelf or at a lower heat (325 degrees) . Another option is to grill the chicken on one side of the grill with the heat is off until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

If barbecuing over charcoal, set the grill up for indirect heat by placing the charcoal on one side of the grill. Once the meat reaches 140 degrees, finish the chicken over the coals to get crispy bbq chicken skin.

Kamado style grills are excellent for grilling chicken. They have a grill height that is high enough so that it reduces grease flareups. If you're serious about bbqing chicken, it may be worth the investment.