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!
This delicious rub works wonders on all cuts of chicken, whether you're smoking, air frying, or using the Instant Pot. It creates that perfect caramelized crust. Ready in 5 minutes, it's my go-to rub for flavorful, crispy chicken. I also use it on turkey and pork.
Because it is a dry rub, it has no added liquid, which means the outside of the chicken will start to sear quickly and give you the flavor you're looking for.
Try it on Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks, Instant Pot Chicken Breasts, Smoked Beer Can Chicken, and even Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey.
Jump to:
What is a dry rub?
A dry rub is used to flavor meat and give 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.
Why you will love this chicken rub for grilling
- Easy - it comes together in less than 5 minutes.
- Economical - it costs a fraction of what chicken rub would cost at the grocery store.
- Versatile - it gives chicken, turkey, and pork amazing flavor.
- Crispy coating - this rub caramelizes nicely for the perfect crust.
Variations
You can easily switch ingredients in this dry rub for smoked chicken recipe to suit specific tastes. Some ideas you might want to try 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!
Ingredient Notes
This dry chicken rub for smoking contains ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- Brown sugar. Light or dark? Either works. Use dark brown sugar if you want a deeper molasses flavor and a darker outer crust.
- 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 works in a pinch.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions for chicken rub for smoker
Step 1: Combine all spices and herbs in a small bowl. Stir with a spoon, fork, or whisk to combine (Images 1 + 2).
Tip: Add ingredients to a glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds to mix all the ingredients.
Step 2: 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.
Expert 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.
- Use soft brown sugar to avoid clumping.
- Use smoked paprika for the best flavor.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove moisture and prevent the rub from sliding off.
- 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.
- Make sure to date and label the jar or bag.
- Store smoked chicken rub in the freezer in a resealable bag for optimal freshness. It will stay fresh for up to a year.
Some chicken recipes using this rub
Recipe FAQs
Let the rub sit on the meat for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours for the best results. Place the meat back in the fridge if you are not cooking it right away. I usually 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.
More dry rub recipes
If you like this post on the best Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken, please take a moment to rate the recipe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and leave a comment below with your thoughts!
Please Subscribe and FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning a Club House seasoning
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine. You can also place them in a glass jar with a lid and shake for 10-15 seconds to mix.¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoon Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, 2 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 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 you are ready to cook it.
- Store dry rub in an airtight jar or a Ziploc bag in a cool, dry place.
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.
- Use soft brown sugar to avoid clumping.
- Use smoked paprika for the best flavor.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove moisture and prevent the rub from sliding off.
- 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.
- Make sure to date and label the jar or bag.
- Store smoked chicken rub in the freezer in a resealable bag for optimal freshness. It will stay fresh for up to a year.
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 Meet The Author
Meet Jeri, a self-taught home cook with over 40 years of cooking experience who decided to start a second career as a full-time food blogger. She is the recipe creator, writer, photographer, and creator of Winding Creek Ranch. Her mission is to make your life easier by sharing delicious recipes your family will love.
DesertRacer225
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
Thanks so much for trying the Smoked Chicken Rub - I'm glad you liked it! 🙂
Tracy Miller
Used this last year and gonna do it again this year! It was the best turkey I ever had!
Jeri Walker
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
Who makes the Garlic & Pepper seasoning? I've never seen it in the grocery store.
Jeri
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.
George Anderson
TOO SWEET!! I was hoping for a spicy flavor and it was brown sugar tasting. Next time I will only use 1 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
Jeri
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/
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
This is brilliant! It can totally save me money than buying pre pack seasoning.
Freya
This rub was amazing on tofu cubes and roast veg too! It has so much flavour!
Kyle
Top of article calls out onion powder... ingredient list later omits it... 1 teaspoon?
Jeri
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
I love your mixture of spices! I’m definitely going to try this on a whole chicken I’m about to roast!
Marita
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
Yum! Dry rubs are my favorite and this one was so simple and delicious!