This chicken spice rub recipe combines flavorful blend of spices with herbs. Super simple and packed with flavor. It uses everyday spices you probably already have. They are common pantry staples like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, and salt to provide a balanced, flavorful crust. A little thyme and rosemary add a nice herby taste makes extra delicious. It’s an easy way to level up any chicken dinner.
This recipe is adaptable for various cooking methods, including baking, grilling, and air frying.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or 3/4 tsp table salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional) sub with cayenne pepper
For herbs
2 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Herbs Substitute
For herbs, thyme and rosemary are great additions, but you can easily swap them out for basil, sage, parsley, oregano, or tarragon if you prefer. The mild herbs and smoky spices complement chicken’s lighter flavor perfectly.
If you like a hint of sweetness, you can also add a bit of sugar—about 1 to 2 teaspoons of brown sugar works really well.
Instructions:
Combine all the measured spices in a bowl, or add them to a jar and shake well to mix everything together.
Make the spice rub ahead and store it in a sealed jar until you’re ready to use it.
This Chicken Spice Rub works especially well on:
Chicken breasts
Thighs and drumsticks
Whole roasted or grilled chicken
Air‑fried chicken pieces
Recipes to try with this chicken spice rub
Also Great For: Pork
The same blend tastes great on:
Pork chops
Pork tenderloin
Pork shoulder (especially if you add the optional brown sugar)
The sweetness + smokiness combo works beautifully with pork.
More recipes to try
Chicken Spice Rub
Ingredients
Method
- Combine all the measured spices in a bowl, or add them to a jar and shake well to mix everything together.
