Dry Rub For Chicken - The Best Dry Rub! is a simple recipe for perfectly seasoned chicken every time! This dry rub works perfectly as a seasoning for pork and vegetables as well. Easy to make extra to keep for future use!
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The Best Dry Rub For Chicken (Or Pork)
Easy Chicken Dry Rub
This is an EASY recipe. Simply mix seasonings together and sprinkle over chicken or pork.
Make extra for future use too! Store in an airtight container
Easy Dry Rub Grilled Chicken Recipe
Here is my favorite recipe for grilled chicken - Dry Rub Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce. You will go crazy over this
Make-Ahead Recipe
You can easily make this ahead, double or triple the recipe, and save for later use - storing in an airtight container.
Healthy Homemade Dry Rub
This chicken dry rub is sugar-free and has only whole ingredients. This works perfectly for low carb, paleo, keto, whole food, and sugar-free diets.
1 g fat | 2 g net carbs | 1 g protein
Want more low carb and easy keto grilling recipes? Check out Quick and Easy Low Carb and Keto Grilling Recipes
Ways To Use Dry Rub
There are lots of ways to use dry rub! That's the beauty of it! Here are a few of my favorite ways:
Chicken
Use the dry on boneless or bone-in chicken, and grill, bake, or fry in a skillet. Also a great dry rub for chicken cooked in a smoker! Instructions for how to bake chicken in the oven and or cook on a grill are below.
Pork
This recipe works great as a pork rub for pork chops (bone-in or boneless), tenderloin, and more! You can enjoy baked, grilled, or fried in a skillet. You can even cook a pork roast with dry rub in a slow cooker! Here's a bonus recipe for you:
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork With Dry Rub Seasoning
Instructions: Place a pork butt roast in a slow cooker. Pour a can of root beer (regular or diet/sugar-free) over the top, then add this dry rub. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until pork is very tender and pulls apart easily. Remove from liquid and shred pork. Add some BBQ sauce if you like, serve on a sandwich bun or wrapped in lettuce. Voila! Super easy dinner idea
Vegetables
This really tastes great on pork and vegetables too. One of my favorite things to do is toss with vegetables such as potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, etc and then grill in a basket or roast in the oven. SO dang good! 🙂
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make dry rub for chicken. 1 recipe will season 2½ lbs bone-in chicken, 2 lbs of boneless chicken, or 1 whole chicken (a general rule of thumb: 8 chicken thighs, 6 breasts, or a whole chicken).
Please see recipe card for full instructions and ingredient amounts! 🙂
- Dried oregano
- Cumin
- Smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine, but smoked has the best flavor)
- Dried parsley
- Garlic salt
- Ground thyme
- Onion powder
- Ground mustard
- Pepper
Instructions
Here's how to make a dry rub for chicken! It's quite easy 🙂
- Add thyme, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic salt, parsley, ground mustard, and pepper to a small bowl.
- Mix all ingredients until blended.
- Use or store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Place chicken (pork or veggies too) in a plastic bag or bowl. Sprinkle dry rub over the meat or vegetables and toss until all pieces are evenly cover with dry rub. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or even overnight if you have to.
- Cook chicken according to instructions below.
How to Use Dry Rub
Here are two ways to use the dry rub on chicken - baking or grilling the chicken.
How To Bake Chicken In The Oven
To cook chicken in the oven, set your temperature to 400ºF. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or foil coated with a nonstick spray.
The times below are approximate based upon the sizes of your chicken pieces. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), always cook your chicken to a safe temperature of 165ºF.
The best way to check the doneness of your chicken is with a instant read thermometer.
How Long To Cook Chicken In Oven:
- Bone-in chicken: bake for 45 minutes
- Boneless chicken: bake for 20 to 25 minutes
How To Cook Chicken On The Grill
To cook chicken on the grill, preheat grill to medium (350º to 450ºF). The times below are approximate based upon the sizes of your chicken pieces.
How Long To Cook Chicken On Grill
- Bone-in chicken: grill 25 to 30 minutes (flipping once). Note that large pieces will require additional grilling time.
- Boneless chicken: grill 8 to 10 minutes (flipping once)
Note: always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165º
Helpful Tips
- 1 recipe will season: 2½ lbs bone-in chicken, 2 lbs of boneless chicken, or 1 whole chicken (a general rule of thumb: 8 chicken thighs, 6 breasts, or a whole chicken).
- Spicy lovers can add more heat with cayenne pepper.
- Make extra and store in an airtight container for future use!
- For best taste, use fresh dried herbs if possible. I am guilty of having a large spice cabinet full of old spices! Most of the ingredients in this recipe are commonly used. The two that aren't as common ware ground thyme and smoked paprika. You can substitute 1 tablespoon of dried oregano instead, and once you try smoked paprika you will use it all the time - it's definitely worth buying!
Common Questions
How To Tell If Chicken Is Done?
Use a Thermometer to test (most accurate method)
Using an instant read thermometer, insert into the middle of the thickest part of the chicken, without touching the bone. The chicken is done when the temperature reaches 165º.
Check the Color of the Chicken
Another way to test chicken for doneness is to cut into the thickest part. Chicken is done cooking when you can no longer see pink. Tip: Don't let the chicken cook until the fibers separate, or it will be overcooked.
How to apply dry rub to chicken
My favorite way to apply dry rub to chicken is to place the chicken pieces in a gallon sized plastic bag then add the dry rub. Seal the bag and then toss until the chicken is coated. You can then just place the bag and all straight into the refrigerator! Super easy!
How much dry rub should I use on chicken?
One recipe makes approximately 6 tablespoons of seasoning (or, a heaping 1/3 cup). This recipe seasons approximately 8 chicken thighs, 6 chicken breasts, or one whole chicken. If you make extra for storing later, you can estimate approximately 1 tablespoon per piece - give or take.
How do you stick dry rub to chicken?
The dry rub in this recipe will stick if the chicken is slightly moist and I've never had an issue getting it to stick. However, if you have a more granular dry rub you can moisten chicken by rinsing in water and removing excess, or you can brush with a little oil (like olive oil).
How long can dry rub sit on chicken?
You can let this dry rub sit on the chicken up to 2 days. If you can, refrigerate chicken with dry rub on it for a minimum of 2 hours (it's ok if you can't do this). I frequently let the chicken sit in refrigerator with dry rub overnight. It has more flavor when I do this.
If you are following a different dry rub recipe, the amount of time you can leave dry rub on chicken may vary.
What temperature should chicken be cooked to?
Safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165ºF. If you don't have a thermometer, cut into the middle of the chicken. When it is no longer pink in the center it is done.
📋 Recipe
Dry Rub For Chicken (Easy Grilled Chicken Dry Rub)
This is a simple dry rub recipe for perfectly seasoned chicken every time! This dry rub works perfectly as a seasoning for pork and vegetables as well. It's easy to make extra for future use! Enjoy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine, but smoked has the best flavor)
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 to 3 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
How To Make Dry Rub
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for later.
- Place chicken in a plastic bag or bowl. Sprinkle dry rub over chicken and toss until all pieces are evenly cover with the dry rub. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or even overnight if you have to.
How To Cook Chicken In The Oven
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or foil coated with a nonstick spray. For boneless chicken bake 20 to 25 minutes, bone-in chicken 40 to 45 minutes until chicken is no longer pink or internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
How To Cook Chicken On The Grill
- Preheat grill to medium (350º to 450ºF). Place chicken pieces on the grill and cook 25 to 30 minutes for bone-in chicken, and 8 to 10 minutes for boneless chicken - turning once. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink or the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Note that larger pieces of chicken will require additional grilling time.
Notes
- One recipe makes approximately 6 tablespoons of seasoning (or, a heaping 1/3 cup). This recipe seasons approximately 8 chicken thighs, 6 chicken breasts, or one whole chicken. If you make extra for storing later, you can estimate approximately 1 tablespoon per piece - give or take.
- Make extra and store in an airtight container for future use!
- Spicy lovers can give it some heat by adding cayenne pepper.
- Try our recipe, Dry Rubbed Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 16Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 796mgCarbohydrates: 3gNet Carbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
DISCLAIMER: Any changes to this recipe could change the nutrition facts. Nutrition facts are provided as a reference only and are calculated to the best of our ability using Nutritionix. If you are concerned, always calculate your own nutritional analysis. The information provided on Seeking Good Eats is for informational use only and we are not liable for how that information is used. The information provided by Seeking Good Eats is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified healthcare provider.
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Try this dry rub recipe for chicken (and pork). The best dry rub for chicken -it's an easy and healthy homemade seasoning recipe that makes perfect seasoned chicken, pork, and vegetables. This dry rub seasoning mix is Whole30, paleo, gluten free, sugar free, low carb, and keto friendly too! Enjoy this healthy recipe - it makes the BEST grilled chicken. #dryrub #seasoningmix #chicken #pork #lowcarb #keto #paleo #whole30 #glutenfree #sugarfree #easy #grilling #bbq #cookout #vegetables
Kim bebout says
Hubby and I tried this recipe today in our new Christmas present Nuwave and thought that it was pretty good! Added about 1/4 t cayenne but decided next time to add more!
seekinggoodeats says
Thank you! So glad you loved the seasoning. I will be posting some air fryer chicken recipes in the near future! 🙂