# Any time difference when indirect grilling two whole chickens vs one?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 18, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953 "2011-06-18T18:26:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953/1 "2011-06-18T18:26:20Z")

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I’ve got a large charcoal Weber grill, and I’ve [indirectly grilled](http://www.barbecuebible.com/featured/technique/direct_vs_indirect_grilling.php) dozens of whole individual chickens with great success, but I’d like to try grilling two at once. With one bird, it is usually done between an hour to 1.5 hours. Should I expect two will take more time than one? I’ve got the room, but I worry about having them under done or too dry. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953/2 "2011-06-18T18:32:54Z")

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Nah, it takes me the same time for 2 chickens on a can as it does for 1 on my small propane grill.

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953/3 "2011-06-20T05:16:15Z")

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Generally if an oven (including a covered charcoal grill) isn’t operating with a “just barely” amount of heat, it cooks however much is in it in a given time.

A microwave is a whole different matter, where cooking time is quite dependent upon how much stuff is in there.

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**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953/4 "2011-06-21T06:14:23Z")

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I have had great success doing the beer can-indirect heat thing in 45 minutes. I bet that 2 chickens would cook in not much more time.

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**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-time-difference-when-indirect-grilling-two-whole-chickens-vs-one/585953/6 "2022-06-28T14:02:02Z")

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Yes, as mentioned, about the same for two chickens as one. But, per this comment…

> [@drastic\_quench](#):
>
> I’ve got the room, but I worry about having them under done or too dry. Thanks.

I highly, highly recommend you get a meat thermometer- the kind with a probe on a wire that you insert and leave in. Take the chickens off the heat when it hits 165 in the breast portion (thighs can go a little higher, 170ish). You will never again have too worry about your chicken being either underdone, or overdone and dry, it will always be juicy and perfect.

ETA: WTF? I saw this post in ‘New Posts’ and did not notice it was a zombie until I posted and saw '11 YEARS LATER…" over my post. How did it get in 'New Posts"??