Soda Can Chicken

This can be made in your oven or on the grill. Both taste awesome. Traditionally made with a beer can, I have used diet orange or cola cans instead so there is no gluten, and it tastes just as delicious. The main purpose of the can is to steam the inside of the chicken, making for a moist bird. Extra fat melts off during the cooking, making it very healthy for you as well. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
Whole Chicken, on the small side - it works better with the can (1 chicken serves 4 people)
Canola Oil
One can soda (or beer) for each chicken
Your favorite dry seasonings, my favorite for this recipe is Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb
Whole onion, ends trimmed and quartered

If going into the oven, put aluminum foil on the bottom of your pan for ease of cleanup. Put a little water in there as well so the grease from the chicken does not burn up.

Directions:
Pour out 1/2 the can of soda, (you can drink this).. and place the chicken on top of the can (as pictured above)

Premix your seasonings into a small bowl and have ready for the next step.
Massage your chicken with oil to completely cover. This will help the seasonings stick. Put them on next so that the outside of the chicken is covered. Put onion into the top cavity. Top the chicken with an aluminum foil *hat*.

Oven:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, place chicken in oven and let cook for 1hour and 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil *hat* the last 10 minutes so the skin browns. Test the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and the thigh. Temp should be at 165 degrees. If it needs more time, put back in oven.

Grill:
Warm up grill to 400 degrees. If you have a grill with multiple areas for flame, have the flame on one side and  put chicken the other. Close lid. After 10 minutes turn down flame a bit so you can maintain 350 degrees. This pretty much cooks itself, just watch for flare ups. After 1 hour remove aluminum *hat*, cook for 15 minutes longer. Take temperature, looking for the 165 degree mark. Cook further if needed, until you hit that temp.

Serving:
Let the chicken rest and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from can. Makes a pretty presentation on a platter as is, but I usually take kitchen shears and quarter it, with the help of some thongs holding the chicken in place for me.