Roasted Rubbed Chicken

This is a recipe I've been making for about 10 years.  It was originally a crock pot recipe that was called "Roast Sticky Chicken".  I can't give you a good reason why it was called this.  It's not at all sticky.

Most of the time I roast the chicken now in the oven because I like the outside to get nice and crusty. But feel free to prepare the rub on the chicken the night before, place in a zip lock bag and dump it in a crockpot for 8-10 hours on low.  It will fall off the bone and be delicious.

I have found that the rub doesn't necessarily need to be on it overnight either.  It does soak in nicely that way creating a brine like effect, but it's so good, don't feel like you have to do it that way.  This is truly a no fail recipe.

Initially, the recipe called for a lot more cayenne pepper and also white pepper. I have always been made it more on the mild side, but if you like spicy foods by all means go heavier on the pepper.

Roasted Rubbed Chicken
Ingredients:

3 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
3 dashes cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
 
Directions for oven:

1.  In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. 

2. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. 

3. If desired, place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degree oven.

4. Place in the oven, and cook until skin is crispy and the juices run clear when pierced, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When chicken seems done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the breast, then the thigh. The breast temperature should read 180 degrees and the thigh 190 degrees.

5. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes and then carve.




Directions for Crock Pot:

1.  In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices.


2. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin.

3. Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, put the bird into the crock-pot and do not add any liquid. As the cooking process goes on it will produce it's own juices.

4. Cook on low 8 - 10 hours and it will be falling off the bone tender.