This whole grilled spatchcock chicken is coated in a homemade spice rub and a rich cola BBQ sauce. It’s smoky, sweet, savory and incredibly juicy — the perfect summer meal straight from the grill.
We absolutely love this grilled chicken.
This charred, smoky bird is fantastic on its own, and the homemade cola BBQ sauce brings a sticky, tangy finish you’ll want to spoon right off the pan.
Lately I’ve been craving a soda-based BBQ sauce and decided to adapt that idea for a whole chicken. Instead of ribs, a spatchcocked chicken is one of our favorite ways to grill — it cooks faster and more evenly.
We LOVE it.
I had a spatchcock chicken I hadn’t shared last year, so I wanted to post this version now. It’s a great weeknight or weekend dinner and a fresh alternative to beer-can chicken on the grill.
Spatchcocking might look intimidating, but it’s simple: remove the backbone and press the bird flat. That makes it grill faster and more evenly than a whole upright chicken.
If you haven’t spatchcocked a chicken before, kitchen shears make it quick — cut out the backbone, then press the breastbone with the heel of your hand to flatten. After one try it feels easy and becomes a go-to method.
To keep the chicken flavorful I use a simple spice rub of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and a touch of brown sugar. It gives the skin a balance of sweet, smoky and savory notes. The cola BBQ sauce adds another layer of flavor and caramelized gloss when brushed on toward the end of grilling.
YUM.
This is practically my partner’s dream entrée — every time I make it he devours it.
The other key is grilling with indirect heat: turn off the burner directly under the chicken so it won’t dry out or char too quickly. Indirect heat helps the meat stay juicy while the skin crisps and the sauce caramelizes.
The result is plenty of crispy, smoky bits, tender juicy meat, and big bold flavor — more than you’d expect from a simple grilled chicken.
Leftovers are fantastic. If you need side ideas, try grilled creamed corn, a bright pasta salad, Brussels sprout slaw, or spinach mac and cheese. A big green salad and grilled corn on the cob are always winners — this chicken pairs well with many sides.
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
Grilled Cola BBQ Chicken
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Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cola BBQ sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup cola (Dr Pepper, Coke, root beer, etc.)
- ½ cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the grill to the highest setting.
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Let the chicken sit at room temperature about 20 minutes before grilling.
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Spatchcock the chicken by cutting out the backbone with sharp kitchen shears and flattening the bird. Press down on the breastbone to open it up as flat as possible.
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Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub a little on the underside of the chicken, then place the bird skin-side up and rub the spice mix all over the skin. For more flavor, you can also loosen the skin and rub some seasoning directly onto the breasts and thighs.
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Set up the grill for indirect heat: turn off the center burner (where the chicken will sit) and set the side burners to medium. Aim for a grill temperature around 350–400°F and adjust side burners as needed.
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Place the chicken over the turned-off center burner, skin side up. Close the lid and grill 50–60 minutes. After about 40 minutes start brushing the chicken with the cola BBQ sauce two or three times, closing the lid after each glaze. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 160–165°F.
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Let the chicken rest 15–20 minutes before slicing. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
cola BBQ sauce
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Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer 30–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to thicken further.
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Store the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to about a week.
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Look at that crispy, flavorful goodness!