This is the best Chicken Rub For Smoking Chicken! It uses simple pantry ingredients to create a sweet, savory, and spicy flavor, resulting in a beautifully caramelized crust. It even tastes great on turkey and pork!
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This delicious rub works wonders on all cuts of chicken, whether you're smoking, air frying, or using the Instant Pot. It creates a perfect caramelized crust. Ready in 5 minutes, it's my go-to rub for flavorful, crispy chicken.
I use it as a smoked chicken leg rub on my Smoked Chicken Legs Recipe and as a smoked chicken thigh rub on Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs.
Because it is a dry rub, it has no added liquid, which means the outside of the chicken sears quickly to give amazing flavor.
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Why You'll Love This Smoked Chicken Rub Recipe
- It comes together in less than 5 minutes.
- Costs a fraction of what chicken rub would cost at the grocery store.
- It gives chicken, turkey, and pork amazing flavor.
- This rub crisps up nicely even if cooked at a higher temperature or over high heat.
- Use it on Smoked Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Quarters, or Smoked Beer Can Chicken.
What Readers Are Saying
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Used this last year and gonna do it again this year! It was the best turkey I ever had! - Tracy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This dry rub is fantastic! I used it for a smoked turkey and everyone loved it. - DesertRacer225
Recipe Ingredients
This dry chicken rub for smoking contains ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- Brown sugar. Use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar.
- Paprika. Smoked paprika is the real game-changer here. Trust me, it's worth having in your pantry.
- Roasted garlic and peppers seasoning. I've experimented with multiple brands, and Club House consistently has the best flavor. Get it at Costco - you get a larger bottle for a cheaper price.
- Chili powder. Use ancho or chipotle chili powder.
- Black pepper. Freshly ground peppercorns are always best, but pre-ground also works.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
How To Make The Best Rub For Smoked Chicken
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper to a small bowl.
Tip: Add ingredients to a glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds to mix all the ingredients.
Step 2: Stir ingredients with a spoon, fork, or whisk to combine. Break up large chunks of brown sugar.
Step 3: To use, sprinkle dry rub on meat liberally with a spoon. You can also place a few teaspoons of rub on a plate and roll the meat to coat. Cover all areas, top, bottom, and sides. If not grilling or smoking the meat right away, place it in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
Jeri's Top Tips
- This chicken dry rub recipe makes about ½ cup of seasoning, lasting approximately four grilling sessions.
- Use the freshest ingredients you can - spices tend to lose their flavor about nine months after they are opened.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove moisture and prevent the rub from sliding off.
- Brush the chicken with olive oil to give it something to stick to.
- Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Store rub in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
- If stored properly, this rub will last up to 6 months. However, for optimal flavor, use the rub within two months.
- Store smoked chicken dry rub in the freezer in a resealable bag for optimal freshness for up to a year.
Variations
You can easily switch ingredients in this dry rub for smoked chicken recipe to suit specific tastes. Some ideas are:
- More Sweet - add extra brown sugar to the spice rub for a sweeter taste.
- Less sweet: If you prefer your rub to be less sweet, use only 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- Spicier: If you would like your spice rub spicier, increase the chili powder.
- Extra spicy: If you want to add even more spice to this recipe, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Just a pinch will do!
Try it on Instant Pot Chicken Breasts and Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey.
Chicken Recipes Using The Best Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken
Recipe FAQs
Let the rub sit on the meat for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. Place the meat back in the fridge if not cooking it right away. I put the rub on the meat, then preheat the grill. By the time the grill is heated, the meat is ready to be placed on the grill. Because the meat is smoked, it is cooked at a lower temperature, and the rub will have lots of time to work its magic.
To make the rub stick better, drizzle a light layer of olive oil onto the chicken before applying the dry rub. The olive oil helps the rub stick better to the meat, making it less likely to fall off.
Absolutely. Apply barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.
This rub has a mild spice level, which you can adjust by increasing or decreasing the chili powder.
Yes, this rub is versatile and works well on turkey, pork, and even certain fish like salmon.
A dry rub flavors meat and gives it a delicious outer coating. It consists of dry ingredients such as herbs, spices, and sugar. A dry rub is coarser than seasoning and applied heavier than seasoning.
More Dry Rub Recipes You'll Love
Printable Recipe
Best Chicken Rub For Smoking Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning a Club House seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix well to combine ingredients. You can also place them in a glass jar with a lid and shake for 10-15 seconds to mix.
- Sprinkle dry rub on meat liberally with a spoon, or place a few teaspoons of rub on a plate and roll the meat in it to coat. Cover all areas, top, bottom, and sides. If not grilling or smoking the meat right away, place it in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Store dry rub in an airtight jar or a Ziploc bag in a cool, dry place.
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Notes
- This chicken dry rub recipe makes about ½ cup of seasoning, lasting approximately four grilling sessions.
- Use the freshest ingredients you can - spices tend to lose their flavor about nine months after they are opened.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove moisture and prevent the rub from sliding off.
- Store chicken rub in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to 2 months, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, or in the freezer for up to one year.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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DesertRacer225 says
This dry rub is fantastic! I used it for a smoked turkey and everyone loved it. I'll change up the amounts of the ingredients next time (maybe more brown sugar and paprika) but I doubt I can make it better than the original. Thanks!
Jeri Walker says
Thanks so much for trying the Smoked Chicken Rub - I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Tracy Miller says
Used this last year and gonna do it again this year! It was the best turkey I ever had!
Jeri Walker says
Thanks for the great review, Tracy! I'm so glad you loved the dry rub on your turkey, and I'm thrilled you are using it again this year! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Ginny says
Who makes the Garlic & Pepper seasoning? I've never seen it in the grocery store.
Jeri says
Hi, Ginny. It's made by Club House. Lawry and McCormick also make one, but I love the Club House one. It should be at your local grocery store in the spice aisle, or at Walmart or Costco.
Jeri says
Hi George! Thank you for the feedback! I have taken your advice and made a new section in the blog post for variations. I know that other people will find your comment helpful. Thanks!
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
Great combo of spices for a dry rub! Agreed, when they are fresh (or freshly grated if it is the case), the flavour is more intense.
Jeannie says
This is brilliant! It can totally save me money than buying pre pack seasoning.
Freya says
This rub was amazing on tofu cubes and roast veg too! It has so much flavour!
Jeri says
Oh no! The amount of onion powder is 2 teaspoons. The recipe card is now updated. Thanks for letting me know! Please let me know how you like it!
Gregory Halpen says
I love your mixture of spices! I’m definitely going to try this on a whole chicken I’m about to roast!
Marita says
Thanks for the recipe, I always struggle with spicing chicken but this looks so simple to put together. I will definitely try it.
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yum! Dry rubs are my favorite and this one was so simple and delicious!