One show that sometimes inspires me is Everyday Food on PBS. A few months ago there was a recipe that looked worthy of attempting, Spice Rubbed Grilled Chicken. The recipe calls for a spice rub that you mix yourself but it makes quite a bit and I really dislike waste so I halved the measurements just in case I didn’t care for the flavor. But I was being frugal for naught because I found the rub to be very tasty and unlike any pre-made spice rubs that I’ve ever bought from the supermarket in the past. Instead of grilling, I roasted the chicken in a 400F oven until the chicken breast reached 160F or about 30 minutes. The chicken turned out juicy and delicious.
For a quick and healthy side dish, I took broccoli florets, some sliced garlic, a little of the spice rub and a teaspoon of olive oil and mixed them in a bowl. I added this mixture to the chicken about 10 minutes into the chicken’s cooking time because I like my broccoli still crunchy but you can add it at the start of roasting if that’s what you like. Recipes after the jump.
All-purpose spice rub
Makes 1 1/4 cups (enough to season 5 to 10 pounds of meat, poultry, or seafood)
- 1/3 cup coarse salt
- 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, using your hands to break up the sugar. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and light, up to 6 months.
Spice-rubbed Grilled Chicken
Serves 4
- 4 chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs (3 pounds total)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grates
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup All-Purpose Spice Rub
Directions
- Place chicken drumsticks and thighs in a shallow baking dish. Carefully slide fingers under skin to loosen it from the meat. Rub chicken all over with oil. Season with All-Purpose Spice Rub both under and over skin, patting in gently. Proceed to step 2 right away, or cover chicken and let rest for up to 24 hours. Cover and refrigerate if resting longer than 30 minutes.
- Heat grill to medium-low. Oil grates; grill chicken, covered, turning frequently to prevent charring, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part (avoiding bone) registers 175 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes.
