Barbecue Dr. Pepper Butt Chicken

So, we really like Beer Butt chicken and Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce and I decided to combine two ideas into one. This turned into a beautifully moist and delicious barbecued chicken that we absolutely love and will be on repeat every summer from now on. I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine did. Serve it with your favorite barbecue sides for a delicious, well-rounded meal.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 35 minutes

YIELD: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 (6 pound) Fryer Chicken

1 (12 oz) can Dr. Pepper, divided

1 (12 oz) bottle Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce

FOR BARBECUE RUB:

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup White Sugar

2 tablespoon Salt

2 tablespoon Paprika

1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder

1/2 tablespoon Garlic Powder

1/2 tablespoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat a grill or oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

2. In a small sauce pan over medium heat combine 1/2 cup of Dr. Pepper (reserve the remaining Dr. Pepper in the can and set aside) and the Barbecue sauce. Bring to a low boil, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk and boil until the barbecue sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid to cool.

3. While the sauce is cooling, make the barbecue rub. In a small bowl stir together all of the rub ingredients with a fork making sure that all of the lumps are removed.

4. Prep the chicken by removing the giblets. Then rinse with cool water inside and out and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Place on a platter.

5. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the barbecue rub inside the cavity of the chicken and rub well with your hand. Sprinkle the remaining barbecue rub on the exterior of the chicken on all sides. Use your hands to rub the chicken well with with your hands.

6. Spray the outside of the Dr. Pepper can well with cooking spray. Place the Dr. Pepper can inside of the thicken cavity as far as it will go. Place the chicken in an oven safe skillet that was sprayed thoroughly with cooking spray, resting on the Dr. Pepper can using the legs to make sure it is secure.

7. Place the chicken into the preheated cooking source and cook the chicken for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes start brushing the chicken with the reserved barbecue sauce every 15 minutes for the remaining 45 minutes. After the 1 hour and 15 minute cook time, enter a digital thermometer into the thickes part of the chicken breast to check that the chicken is cooked through to 165° Fahrenheit. If the chicken is not cooked through, continue cooking and basting every 15 minutes until the safe temperature is reached. Once the chicken reaches the safe temperature, remove from the ove or grill.

8. Brush the remaining sauce over the chicken and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the can from the chicken and cut into pieces. Serve hot and enjoy!