Chicken rub recipes for smoking

Ahhh smoking, nothing requires more subtlety and nuance than low and slow smoking, especially with a gentle meat like chicken that absorbs the tasty smoke. It's so important to strike the right balance when smoking chicken and this rub will give you a great flavor profile without turning your bird salty spicy & dry. This recipe is super easy to make and I bet you have the ingredients already in your kitchen cupboard so no trip to the store needed. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons cayenne
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoon black pepper

Directions
This recipe should be seen as a base and can be tweaked depending on your liking. For instance, if you like a little more kick to your chicken, feel free to add a little more chili powder and cayenne to give it some heat. It can be simply made by combining all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. It can also easily be combined with a ¼ to a ½ cup of olive oil if you want to turn it into a paste so it will stick to your chicken. Rub it on any cut of chicken from wings, breasts, thighs or legs.