This dry rub for chicken adds finger licking delicious, smokey, sweet, garlicky flavour.
Warmer days are finally here so its time to dust off the grill and enjoy some outdoor grilling!
We are super excited to bring you the best rub for smoked chicken!
This rub just melts into the chicken giving an amazing finger licking good, smokey sweet, garlicky flavour.
…oh, and its sticky so get napkins, you’ll definitely be needing napkins!
It works well on any cut of chicken from whole chicken to breasts, thighs, legs or wings. You can even leave the skin on and apply the rub under the skin.
Brush the chicken with a thin layer of olive oil or mustard (so the rub sticks), add the rub, cover and place in the fridge till ready to grill.
Find out at what temperature is chicken done so it doesn’t turn out undercooked, dry or burnt.
We like to keep some rub aside to sprinkle over vegetables before roasting as it gives delicious flavour to potatoes, carrots, eggplants, cauliflower, etc.
Time saving tip – make this rub in advance to keep in your pantry for when you need an easy meal and if you like spicy food also try our recipe for Creole seasoning.
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Ingredients
This rub is made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, simply combine them and mix well.
These are the 8 ingredients you will need:
- light brown sugar
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- chipotle flakes or powder
- smoked paprika
- cayenne powder
- thyme
- ground black pepper
You will need to add salt to the rub before using it (see ‘How to use this rub on chicken’ below).
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful tips
Here are some helpful tips for the best chicken dry rub every time!
- use fresh ingredients as old herbs don’t have much flavour.
- blend ingredients together to a fine powder if using this rub in a compound butter or as a garnish e.g on popcorn.
- during cooking don’t turn the heat up too high as very high heat will cause the the herbs and sugar to burn.
How to use this rub on chicken
Chef’s Tip: Before adding the rub to chicken pieces, brush them with a thin layer of mustard or olive oil to help the rub stick to the chicken.
You will need to add salt to the rub before using it.
The reason we made this rub salt-free is so you can add more rub for extra flavour and it won’t be too salty, plus it is helpful for those with dietary restrictions.
For one whole medium size chicken: use 3 tablespoons of dry rub plus half a teaspoon of salt and mix well. Adjust the amount of salt according to your taste.
To use this dry rub on chicken we recommend the following steps:
- Score the chicken by making small cuts in the thicker areas so the flavours are able to penetrate deeper into the chicken.
- Brush the chicken with a thin layer of mustard then use your fingers to massage the rub into the chicken.
- Cover and let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight (12 hours) for best flavour.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge then grill or roast on medium to low heat for around 40 minutes, or till a cooking thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken shows 74℃ or 165℉.
Serve the chicken warm with a side of potato salad and Italian butter beans.
Tip
When cooking the chicken, arrange the pieces so they are not overlapping or touching one another for uniform heat distribution. To know more, see our article on how to prevent water pooling around the chicken in the pan.
Storing
Keep any leftover dry rub in a sealed container in a cool dry place for up to a month.
The moisture in the brown sugar may cause the seasoning to clump up so stir with a spoon and mix well before using.
Your questions answered
A dry rub is a mixture of dried herbs or ground spices which are applied to the surface of meat, poultry or fish before cooking to add flavour.
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Good to know …
Some useful articles for handling and cooking chicken:
Did you make this dry rub? Please rate it in the recipe card below and if you are sharing a photo on social media please tag @endofthefork. Thank you!
Recipe
Dry Rub For Chicken
Ingredients
- light brown sugar 3 tablespoons
- onion powder 1 tablespoon
- garlic powder 1 teaspoon
- dried thyme 1 teaspoon
- chipotle powder - or 1 tablespoon chipotle flakes 1 teaspoon
- ground black pepper 1½ teaspoon
- smoked paprika 1½ teaspoon
- cayenne powder 1½ teaspoon
Instructions
- Combine 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1½ teaspoon cayenne powder in a bowl and mix till well combined.
- Add salt and rub over chicken before grilling (see notes*).
Notes
Only you will see your notes and you can edit them anytime.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically per serving and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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