This chicken seasoning blend is a tasty mix of herbs and spices, adding a special kick to any chicken dish. This dry rub creates the most delicious chicken dishes. Whether it is oven-baked or grilled, it’s the perfect chicken seasoning that works well with chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, chicken wings, and whole rotisserie chicken. It has just the right amount of spice and flavor to make everyone ask for seconds!
Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you; most of them are spices you probably already have in your kitchen!
As someone with ADHD, I understand the overwhelm you face when you see that long list of ingredients! But this seasoning blend is simple enough to pack the flavor you need without an extraordinarily long list of spices you need to gather. This one will definitely give you a return of investment on your mental energy as you search out these common spices from your pantry!
Plus it only takes a couple of minutes to mix together and it is ready to be applied to your chicken!
Ingredient Notes
The best chicken seasoning combines a mix of herbs and spices that work together to bring out the delicious flavor of the meat. Sure, you can buy chicken seasoning at the store, but making your own at home is not only more budget-friendly, it also lets you control the flavor! You get to decide how spicy it is and how much salt to use, so it’s just the way you like it. Not to mention homemade chicken seasoning tastes much better!
I found the best combination of seasonings for chicken included these key ingredients:
Brown Sugar: adds a touch of sweetness to the chicken and helps create a delicious slightly caramelized crust, just like the irresistible flavor of classic finger-licking southern cooking.
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: are strong aromatics and great for adding depth of flavor to chicken.
Ground Mustard: adds a depth of flavor and a light level of spiciness without added heat.
Paprika: Smoked, sweet, hot, or mild – they all work for this recipe.
Salt: I prefer using sea salt, but any salt of your choice works.
Cayenne Pepper: adds a mild heat that entices the taste buds to want more. If you have kids or heat-sensitive eaters, keep this ingredient as written. It adds just enough kick without being too much heat. But if you like your food with more heat, add extra cayenne pepper and even up to 1/4 teaspoon chili powder.
How to Season Chicken
Remember how I said this is incredibly easy to make? It is also incredibly easy to use!
Step 1: Gather all the spices. Measure them out and add them to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Mix all the spices together with a fork or whisk until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
That’s it!
To Use your chicken dry rub you will want to:
- Select your chicken, trim off extra fat if you desire. Remove the skin if that is your preference.
- Pat your chicken dry.
- Lightly coat the chicken pieces with a bit of olive oil, which will help the seasoning adhere to the meat.
- Rub the spice blend all over the chicken.
- Cook as you desire.
This chicken seasoning can be used for all kinds of cooking methods. It is great for oven baking, grilling, smoking, and even air frying!
👩🏻🍳 Seasoning Notes
This chicken seasoning recipe makes enough seasoning for about 5-8 pounds of chicken or a whole chicken. As a general guideline, use about 1-2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat, but feel free to adjust based on your taste preference. Whether you’re grilling, baking, or frying, this blend will turn your chicken into a delicious, flavorful meal!
Storage Tips: Store your seasoning blend in an airtight container, and keep it in a dark, dry place. This way, it can stay fresh and flavorful for up to 3 months.
Other Favorite Recipes:
If you try this chicken spice mix recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Busycreatingmemories!
Chicken Seasoning Recipe
This Chicken Seasoning packs a lot of flavor without a long list of ingredients and brings amazing flavor to any chicken dish! It’s perfect for seasoning chicken breasts, thighs, wings, whole chickens, legs, tenders, grilled chicken, baked chicken, smoked chicken, and more!
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 4 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 4 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Mustard
- 2 Teaspoons Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Gather all the spices. Measure them out and add them to a medium bowl.
- Mix all the spices together with a fork or whisk until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
To Season Chicken
- Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil.
- Generously rub the seasoning blend over chicken thighs, breasts, drumsticks, or tenders or a whole chicken before cooking.
Notes
You can marinate the chicken in the dry rub for 15 minutes or up to 12 hours. But it is not required. If you plan to marinate it for over an hour be sure to refrigerate the chicken.
This recipe makes enough chicken seasoning blend for around 5-8 pounds of chicken or other meat. Because I am usually cooking for a fully family of 6. To make a smaller version of this recipe blend use the variation below.
Seasoning Blend for 2-3 lbs of meat:
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (really just a pinch if you don't want it too spicy)
Storage Tips: Store your seasoning blend in an airtight container, and keep it in a dark, dry place. It can stay fresh and flavorful for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1/2 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 9Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Busy Creating Memories attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.