Chicken seasoning is one of my store cupboard staples. Having a pre-mixed chicken spice mixture on hand saves time when making weeknight suppers and makes for tasty chicken dishes in a hurry.
Chicken Seasoning
Say goodbye to bland boring chicken with this chicken seasoning blend! It is the easiest way to add a delicious depth of flavour to all your chicken dishes. A one jar fuss free flavour solution!
My seasoning is based around garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika and salt and pepper, which all complement the chicken beautifully.
See also
- My fajita seasoning is a warming spicy blend with that makes fajitas so quick and easy
- If you love cooking fish, having seafood seasoning in the cupboard will become standard
- Make taco Tuesday a breeze with this my one stop one jar taco seasoning mix
- All my homemade seasoning blend recipes
I nearly always cook for two so it is SO much easier to have a jar all made up – as it is almost impossible to measure out tiny quantities to make a balanced mix.
Why make Chicken Seasoning
- Homemade seasoning blends make cooking easy. This is a one jar solution for flavouring your chicken, saving time and effort (and putting al those jars back in the cupboard)
- Easy to customize to your taste, feel free to add some heat, make it super smokey, make it herby!
- UPF free! If you read the label on a commercial blend you will never ever buy it again – there are so many ingredients that have no place in a seasoning mix!
- A mix means it is easy to add a small quantity of the more intensely flavoured ingredients without overwhelming the whole dish. You simply cannot measure less than 1/4 tsp accurately!
- Convenient and saves time – no more searching through the spice shelf every time you cook
Chicken seasoning recipe ingredients
- Smoked paprika – I love hot smoky flavours and a good smoked paprika forms the base for this seasoning. Some sweetness, a little heat and all that lovely smoky flavour.
- Salt – I like large, flakey salt crystals in this mixture, rather than fine cooking salt.
- Garlic and onion powders – by using powder, you add the essential garlic and onion flavours to your dish, and save time and mess compared to using fresh.
- Dried oregano – adds a warm and earthy flavours to this mix. It is robust, slightly bitter, primarily earthy, but with green flavours of hay and a hint of mint.
- Thyme – this aromatic herb, with hints of mint, citrus, and wood, pairs so well with chicken
- Black Pepper – for some more heat and warmth – a course or home ground is better.
How to make chicken seasoning/chicken rub – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this chicken rub recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put all the ingredients into a bowl and give them a good stir to thoroughly mix. I like to use a mini whisk to break up any clumps.
Step Two – Transfer to an airtight jar and seal. A jam funnel makes this easy and minimises any spills.
Variations
- Add some dried sage. Take care, though, because sage is strongly flavoured and could easily take over. Be sparing!
How to use
There are so many way to use this chicken seasoning – for starters why not …
- Add a tablespoon to some softened butter and cover a chicken before roasting. Use about a teaspoon as a rub for a chicken breast.
- Add to breadcrumbs before breading chicken pieces. Or sprinkle over roast or fried potatoes, or chips/fries.
- Add to a homemade stuffing such as my sausage meat stuffing.
Storage
Store the seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, and it will last for a few months. Don’t try and store it for years, because the spices will lose their flavour. A jam jar is the perfect container, as the glass won’t get tainted by the spices.
The use by date is the shortest date of any of the ingredients.
Hints and tips
- Write the use by date on a label, and stick it to the jar.
- Before using the mixture, give the container a good shake to make sure everything is evenly distributed. A stir with a teaspoon can also do the same job.
- It’s better to mix the ingredients in a bowl and transfer them to a jar, as you can check that everything is evenly distributed.
Buying and Storing Spices
I am a frequent user of spices in my cooking, but even then I don’t use enough to use all of a large bag before the spices lose their flavour. I also find that small jars from the supermarket are poor value for money.
So, I buy medium sized packets from a local corner shop, or the “world foods” aisle of the supermarket. Large enough to be good value, but small enough not to have lost all the flavour by the time I get to the bottom of the packet.
I seal the bags with clips, and keep them in an airtight container, itself kept in a cool, dry and dark cupboard.
Ideally, I have separate boxes for savoury spices, dried herbs, and sweet spices.
More chicken recipes
- My one-pot Moroccan chicken with rice makes a delicious week-night supper. Packed with the big, bold flavours of North Africa
- A classic French chicken casserole with bacon; an easy but impressive recipe for a traditional warming stew
- All my chicken recipes
Chicken Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 2 tbsp thyme
Instructions
- Mix – Put all the ingredients into a bowl, mix briefly until well combined. I find the best thing is a mini whisk to break up any clumps of finely ground spices.2 tbsp oregano, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp onion powder, 2 tbsp thyme, 2 tbsp sea salt
- Store – Transfer to a storage jar with a good seal. I usually use a jam funnel for this to prevent spills.
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