Dry Rubbed Chicken
While sauces reign supreme around here, the spices behind them should have their moment in the sun too.
That brings us to this chicken thigh dry rub. Though this recipe uses a heat-backed hot rub, the sugar involved mellows things out enough to really get all the flavors of this bird.
Really looking to avoid spice? Well the Sawce Sweet Rub has you covered- a much sweeter rub that can be used when you’re feeling a bit like a sweetheart.
Selecting Your Chicken: Use the Thighs
Of course, not all chicken is created equal. There’s a wide range of chicken available, free range, organic, and so on. But what I want to really focus on here is the piece of chicken.
Sure you could rub down some chicken breasts or cutlets and have a decent meal, but to really get the most out of this, go with the fattier, juicier, chicken thighs. Bone in, skin on will deliver the standing ovation worthy result, but if if there is one piece to take, make it the thigh.
How Long to Marinate?
In a perfect world, you’ll let these hang out in the fridge for a day. If you absolutely can’t plan that far ahead, at least give it a few hours. In short, the longer it sits, the deeper the flavor will go. I’ve gone up to 36 hours but the extra time didn’t add much.
What you’ll need
Makes 4 servings
4 Chicken Thighs. Bone in, skin on if able
3 tablespoons, Sawce dry rub. Hot rub is ideal, but sweet works fine
The hot rub will help produce the best chicken of your life.
The sweet rub will please everyone, even those afraid of black pepper.
Lets Do This
Pour the dry rub into a mixing bowl, mixing if needed, and removing any clumps
Add the chicken and coat generously. If thighs are large, absolutely add more seasoning
Seal the chicken in a bag or container, and let sit ideally 24 hours. If not, atleast 4 hours
Preheat an oven, or grill, to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Remove chicken from its container and place on a heavy grill pan such as a cast iron
Cook for 40 minutes. Chicken should look a deep brown/red. Remove when cooked through
Once cooled enough, serve hot
Here’s a look at that perfectly cooked chicken. And you thought other chicken was good enough to lick your fingers over.
Get yourself cooking!
