OK - there are hundreds of rub recipes out there.
But this one is tangy and sweet but with a slight kick. Be sure to liberally coat your chicken and wrap it up tight to "get happy."
BBQ Chicken Rub
3/4 Cup Sweet Paprika
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Kosher or Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Ground Cumin
4 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
2 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning
Mix all together. Either sift through a wire mesh strainer or process small batches in a spice grinder to make sure the brown sugar isn't in clumps.
This makes quite a bit of rub. Store in a cool, dry place and try to use within 3-4 months. I use an old paprika spice bottle to store my rub, so that I'll have a sprinkle top for application.
To use:
Rinse whole chicken thoroughly inside and out after removing giblets from cavity. Look outside over for any pin-feathers and remove (pull them out) as needed.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels, sprinkle rub inside first, then sprinkle on the outside making sure to gently rub into skin. Next, loosen skin from flesh and sprinkle liberally onto the meat under the skin.
Take a large piece of plastic wrap and tightly wrap chicken in it. Take another large piece of wrap and wrap chicken in the opposite direction (so if you wrapped around the first time, wrap top to bottom this time) - this will give you a good tight seal and provide a double layer of protection.
Place chicken on a plate or shallow bowl (just in case of leakage) and place into your refrigerator for a minimum of 12 hours (24 or 48 would be even better).
Cook as desired (bake, roast, rotisserie) for the length of time as determined by the weight of the bird, usually 15-20 minutes per pound. To make sure, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken's thigh, without touching the bone. When the chicken is done, the meat thermometer will have recorded a temperature of 180ºF (83ºC).
Note: I usually remove the chicken at 170ºF (77ºC) and with a resting time of 10 minutes, it usually hits the 180ºF mark. If you wait until it hits 180ºF before removing from the oven, etc. it will go higher than 180ºF and could be dry.
Enjoy!
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