This Chicken Rub is very easy to throw together and is perfect for making delicious and flavorful chicken. Add this dry rub for chicken every time before you throw it on the grill or in the oven.
One of my favorite things about cooking is that it is so easy to throw together a few ingredients and make something that is truly magical. This chicken rub is no exception. The ingredients for this chicken seasoning recipe are stocked in your pantry but absolutely brings chicken to life. You will be shocked how this simple spice rub changes chicken. It is sweet, smoky, and has just a little kick to it.
Chicken Rub Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar in this recipe both brings flavor and helps caramelize the outside of the chicken. Additionally the sweetness balances the savory ingredients and helps to keep the meat juicy.
- Kosher Salt: I love using kosher salt in my rubs because the larger grains stick better to the meat and help keep it juicy. If you are using table salt, you will want to cut it in half.
- Black Pepper: Brings both flavor and a little spice.
- Paprika: This has a sweet and smokey flavor that is perfect in a meat rub.
- Cumin: The earthy flavor of this smoky herb is amazing here.
- Cayenne pepper: Adds just the perfect amount of spice.
How to Use Chicken Rub
Chicken rub can be used on any cut of chicken from chicken wings to whole chicken, though my preference is to use it on bone-in skin on cuts. Use approximately 1/4 cup of rub per pound of chicken, keeping in mind that the surface area of the chicken will vary greatly by cut of chicken. After you pat the chicken dry, rub it liberally into the raw chicken.
Air fry, bake, or grill your chicken. My Air Fryer Chicken Wings and my Grilled Chicken Legs are two great recipes to use this rub in. I especially love this chicken dry rub when combined with my BBQ sauce after cooking.
Grilled Chicken Legs
Tips and Tricks
- Pull out just the amount of you want to use. This way you can liberally rub the chicken with it without contaminating your whole batch of seasoning rub.
- Pat the chicken very dry. This will allow the skin of the chicken to crisp up better.
- Store the rub in an airtight container in a cool dark place. I like use mason jars to store my spices. This will help keep the brown sugar from losing moisture and clumping together.
Storing Chicken Rub
Keep this seasoning blend in an airtight container in your pantry for up to three months. Remember not to contaminate the mixture with anything that has touched raw chicken.
If you make this chicken rub recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love it if you come back and let me know what you think!
Chicken Rub
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup kosher salt or 2 tablespoons table salt
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients together.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Use approximately 1/4 cup of rub per pound of chicken. Rub liberally on the chicken before baking, frying, or grilling.
KAREN BECKER says
Those drum sticks look delicious! Can you also bake them in the oven? And would it still be 350F for 40 minutes?
I haven’t done them in the oven yet, but I would try them at 425 for 30 minutes (or until they reach 165), flipping half way through.
Gloria Fernandez VanZante says
I would like to try this next weekend, however, I would like to do this on a grill pan on top of my stove. Would I follow the same temperatures to check for complete cooking?
You could try them on the grill pan, but I think they are going to take a really long time. I think if I were doing it, I would try it in the oven instead at 165 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping them half way through.
Denise says
How long to bake in oven and temp?
I haven’t done them in the oven yet, but I would try them at 425 for 30 minutes (or until they reach 165), flipping half way through.
Joyce says
I love your measuring spoon in the picture. I received a set in 1959 as a wedding gift! Thank you for these rubs….I can’t wait to try!
Oh how great! I love vintage silverware in photos so much!
Dorothy says
Hello Can I put my chicken in the oven instead?
I haven’t done them in the oven yet, but I would try them at 425 for 30 minutes (or until they reach 165), flipping half way through.
M J says
Can I use it for turkey ??? I make garbage/trash can turkey…..I think it would work well with that.
Yes! I think this would be great on turkey!
Billu Manocha says
Nice information