This low sodium recipe for what I have dubbed “Chicken Spice Rub” is a staple in our house. It is not a flashy recipe, but sometimes those ones are the ones that I use the most.
This spice mix is something that I always have on hand. I mix it up and keep it in a jar in my cupboard so that I can pull it out and use it any time I like. My favorite way to use this is on chicken (hence the name), but it also works on pork and with some veggies. Here are some ideas for using this spice mix:
- Slice onions and garlic and place the in base of a slow cooker. Lay trimmed chicken on top and sprinkle the seasoning generously on top. Cook on low for about 6 hours. Serve with pan juices (this seasoning will make the juices soooooo good).
- Cut potatoes or sweet potatoes into quarter inch to half inch cubes and toss with a bit of oil and some of this spice rub mix. Saute in oil in a thick bottomed skillet until potatoes are cooked through.
- Trim and pat dry chicken breasts. Rub breasts with a bit of oil. sprinkle about half a teaspoon of the spice mix on each. Cover and let the rub rest on the chicken for at least 15 minutes*. Grill, bake, or sear the breasts as you normally would.
- And my absolute favorite use of this rub – Wash and dry a whole chicken. Spread the spice rub on the whole chicken (you will use the whole recipe for one whole chicken). Wrap in plastic warp and let the rub rest on the meat for at least one hour and up to a full day*. Roast or rotisserie the chicken as you normally would. Note – the drippings from this will make the best gravy. One day soon I will dedicate a post to it.
* Make sure you let the spice rub rest on the chicken before you cook it If you don’t, it might dry out and burn while cooking.
And that is about it! This really is one of our favorites; I hope you will like it as much as we do.
PrintChicken Spice Rub
Sodium Count – Negligible
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tsp smoked paprika ((yes, smoked is best here))
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp thyme ((ground thyme is my favorite, but dried thyme will work fine))
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. It should keep in a cupboard for several months.
Hi, can I ask? Will this work as a replacement to salt and / or for the outside of potato wedges?
I have tried it on potatoes and I wasn’t really crazy about it, but that might be a personal preference. I typically only use it to season meat or throw in soups.
Will this work in chicken and rice soup? How much should I use with 8 cups of stock and 2 cups of Basmati rice with carrots, celery and onions?
Thanks
Katherine
Hi – yes, I’ve used it in chicken soup and it adds some depth of flavor. I haven’t actually measured how much I’ve used – I’ve just sprinkled it in. I would suggest starting small (a teaspoon or less) and adding more as needed.
We love this rub on chicken. It’s our go-to rub for chicken, even though we’ve tried lots of other salt-free mixes. It’s got some kick, which is really nice for spicy chicken sandwiches (we serve on either the 45 Minute Rolls recipe from this site, or Kings Hawaiian rolls). Go Kathy!
Kathy, did you write that post about the gravy using this spice rub? Looking forward to it if it’s still in the works. 🙂
★★★★★
No I never did write that post. Hopefully one of these days I get back to posting! In the meantime, I am really glad that you are enjoying the recipes.
I plan to smoke a couple of cornished hens soon on my weber kettle. How long after I apply your rub should I wait before I put the hens on the grill ?
The longer, the better. I usually try to leave the rub on for at least 4 hours with the chicken (or in your case, hens) tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. This give the rub time to flavor the meat and transfers some moisture to the rub so that it is less likely to blacken when you cook it. FYI, I have left the rub on as long as 36 hours.
I used it on baked Swai…. fabulous
★★★★★