• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Grilling Guide
  • Recipe Index
  • Grilling Basics
  • Contact
  • About

Chicken Rub

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Want to cook chicken on the grill but don’t know how to season it? With a little time and a few ingredients, you can prepare this delicious chicken rub!

A spoon overflowing with chicken rub on a table with a bowl of seasoning behind it.

Chicken is one of my favorite things to serve up around our house. It’s cheap, filling, and can be served in several different ways. Whether it’s baked, broiled, fried, or grilled, we enjoy it just about every way you can cook it. As often as we prepare chicken, we’ve tried several different chicken seasonings and rubs from the grocery store but they seem to always fall short of our expectations.

Although there are many to choose from, most taste the same and lack the depth and balance of flavor I’m looking for when it comes to seasoning poultry. After tasting this rub, I decided I was done wasting money buying chicken seasoning from the store and I think you will be too.

All of the ingredients to make chicken rub displayed on a plate with a small bowl of finished seasoning behind it.

How To Make This Chicken Rub

Using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, you can make this delicious chicken seasoning in 5 minutes or less. The ingredients you will be using are:

  • Brown Sugar – adds a hint of sweetness and caramelizes great on the grill.
  • Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Coarse Sea Salt, and Fresh Ground Pepper – the perfect spice combination that compliments any cut of chicken.
  • Dried Parsley and Rosemary flakes – provides a fresh, earthy flavor to the chicken.
  • Ground Cumin – an earthy flavor and aroma with a bit of sweetness.
  • Ground Mustard– provides a tangy heat.
  • Smoked Paprika– adds just enough heat and gives the chicken a great color.

To make this chicken rub, all you need to do is combine all of the ingredients into a bowl or jar and whisk them together until well combined.

A bowl filled with finished seasoning with a spoon in it for scooping it out.

How To Use This Chicken Rub Recipe

Once all of the ingredients are whisked together, you are ready to use it on any cut of chicken you prefer. Simply sprinkle a generous amount onto the chicken and massage it so the rub absorbs into the meat and doesn’t fall off when you cook it.  Repeat this step until each piece is completely covered with the chicken seasoning.

Here are a few of my favorite cuts to use this seasoning on:

  • Thighs – Bone-In/Boneless and/or Skin-On/Skinless
  • Breasts
  • Wings
  • Drum Sticks
  • Rotisserie or Beer Can (whole chicken)

A piece of grilled chicken cut into pieces topped with chicken rub.

Tips

  • Want the rub to stick to the chicken better? Drizzle a light layer of olive oil on the chicken. Then coat the chicken with the rub.
  • Want more texture? Use dried minced onions, dried minced garlic, coarse sea salt, and/or coarse sugar.
  • Want to try another type of chicken seasoning? Try this BBQ Rub or All-Purpose Marinade.
A spoon overflowing with with chicken rub.
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Chicken Rub

A perfect blend of sugar, spices, and herbs that tastes great on any cut of chicken!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, chicken rub, chicken seasoning, grilled chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Servings 0

Ingredients

  • 2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Parsley Flakes
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Mustard
  • 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Rosemary crushed
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Pepper

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined. You can also add all of the ingredients to a glass jar, or other sealed container, and shake vigorously until well combined.

Notes

Storing Instructions: Store this rub in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months. Shake or stir well before using. 
Want this rub to stick to the chicken better? Drizzle a light layer of olive oil on the chicken. Then coat the chicken with the rub.
To get more texture, use dried minced onions, dried minced garlic, coarse sea salt, and/or coarse sugar.
Previous Post: « Margarita Shrimp Marinade
Next Post: Grilled Chicken Thighs »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa

    August 10, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X
  • Pinterest

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Fried Okra
  • Zucchini Casserole
  • Greek Chicken Marinade
  • Skillet Lasagna
  • Smoked Chicken Breast
  • Smoked Ham
  • Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
  • Greek Pasta Salad
  • Smoked Pulled Pork
  • BBQ Sauce Recipe

What’s Popular

Broccoli salad in a speckled white bowl.

Broccoli Salad

A grilled pork chop on a white plate with grilled squash as a side.

Grilled Pork Chops

A bowl filled with smoked velveeta queso topped with chopped jalapeños.

Smoked Velveeta Queso

A grilled T-bone steak topped with herb butter on a white plate with a side of asparagus.

How To Grill Steak

COPYRIGHT © 2021 THE GRILLING GUIDE ON THE FOODIE PRO THEME | Privacy Policy