This 6-ingredient chicken seasoning mix is the secret to the best-tasting chicken! Easy to make with simple savory-smoky spices, it’s perfect for chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, and more.
Table of Contents
Are you tired of the blah flavors in a packet of poultry seasoning and ready to take your favorite chicken recipes up a notch? Then let me introduce you to this simple Chicken Seasoning recipe—a deliciously savory, smoky spice blend made from 6 everyday spices!
Just like my Chicken Dry Rub, this easy chicken seasoning rub is well-balanced thanks to a simple mix of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Its layers of savory, salty, and smoky flavors pair well with all cuts of chicken, like chicken breasts, thighs, wings, legs, or the whole bird.
You’re not limited to using it with chicken, either! Make this your go-to poultry seasoning and use it on the Thanksgiving turkey or cornish hen instead. You can even sprinkle it over roasted vegetables or use it as a popcorn seasoning. Anything goes!
Looking for more ways to take your chicken dinner to the next level? Check out these 20+ BEST Chicken Dipping Sauces and these BEST Wine Pairings with Chicken.
Ingredients
- Smoked paprika – Smoked paprika helps the seasoned chicken taste like it just came off the smoker. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika, but you’ll miss out on the rich, smoky dimension.
- Chili powder – For a mild kick of heat. If you prefer less heat, you can substitute this with sweet paprika.
- Garlic powder – This adds a savory, aromatic punch.
- Onion powder – It intensifies the savory flavor.
- Kosher salt – Salt enhances flavor and helps tenderize the meat. If you don’t have kosher salt, you can use sea salt or table salt, but use a little less since kosher salt is less dense.
- Ground black pepper
How to make the best chicken seasoning
Simply whisk all of the seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl. Use the seasoning blend right away or store it in a sealed jar for later. Enjoy!
How to season chicken
Before adding the seasonings to the chicken, pat the meat dry with paper towels so the spices stick to the outside.
Sprinkle the spice blend over both sides of the chicken and use your hands to rub the spices into the meat. Make sure all sides are coated evenly but don’t overdo it. A light coating is usually enough to enhance the chicken’s natural flavor without overpowering it.
After seasoning, let the chicken rest for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat. Or, for even better results, refrigerate the seasoned meat for a few hours or overnight.
Variations
- Chicken taco seasoning – Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Chicken fajita seasoning – Make the chicken taco seasoning but swap the cayenne for red pepper flakes and the smoked paprika for a tablespoon of sweet paprika.
- Chicken wing seasoning – Add a pinch of cayenne, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder.
- Roast chicken seasoning – Add 1 teaspoon of the dried herbs of your choice, like rosemary, thyme, and sage. Some citrus zest, like lemon or orange, would also be great.
Serving suggestions
Use this chicken rub on any cut of chicken you like, other poultry cuts, and even other recipes! Here are some serving ideas to help get you started:
- Chicken: This chicken dry rub is perfect for chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken wings, chicken legs, and even whole chicken.
- Poultry: Swap the chicken for turkey breasts, duck breasts, quail, cornish hen, or pheasant.
- Vegetables: It would even be delicious on grilled or roasted vegetables, like sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, and potatoes!
FAQs
Should you season the chicken before or after cooking?
It’s best to season the meat before cooking. This way, the flavors have time to soak into the meat before and during the cooking process.
Should you coat the chicken with oil before adding the seasonings?
It’s up to you! It isn’t always necessary to coat the chicken with oil before seasoning; however, a light drizzle over the skin can help the seasoning blend stick to the outside.
How much chicken seasoning should I use?
I recommend using 1 to 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of chicken as a general guideline. Adjust the amount based on your desired intensity of flavor.
Storing
For the best flavor, I recommend mixing the poultry seasoning spices together right before you start cooking. However, you can make a larger batch and store the leftovers in an airtight container or sealed jar in your pantry or on your spice rack for about 6 months.
More homemade seasoning blends
Did you make this chicken seasoning mix?
If you loved thought this was the best chicken seasoning recipe, I would appreciate it so much if you would leave a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
For more great Platings & Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.
Full Recipe
Chicken Seasoning Blend
Equipment
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
How to season chicken
- Before adding the seasonings to the chicken, pat the meat dry with paper towels so the spices stick to the outside.
- Sprinkle the spice blend over both sides of the chicken and use your hands to rub the spices into the meat. Make sure all sides are coated evenly but don’t overdo it. A light coating is usually enough to enhance the chicken’s natural flavor without overpowering it.
- After seasoning, let the chicken rest for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat. Or, for even better results, refrigerate the seasoned meat for a few hours or overnight.
Notes
-
Chicken taco seasoning – Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
-
Chicken fajita seasoning – Make the chicken taco seasoning but swap the cayenne for red pepper flakes and the smoked paprika for a tablespoon of sweet paprika.
-
Chicken wing seasoning – Add a pinch of cayenne, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder.
-
Roast chicken seasoning – Add 1 teaspoon of the dried herbs of your choice, like rosemary, thyme, and sage. Some citrus zest, like lemon or orange, would also be great.
Leave a Reply