Chicken gets a bad rap for being boring, but we reject that notion! Instead, think of it as a blank slate to play with. Considering that Americans consume more chicken than any other protein, it might be easy to get into a bit of a rut with your meal prepping but, with the right spices, the flavor possibilities are endless. To prove it we tried a little experiment...

The Chicken Seasonings Experiment

We wanted to prove that chicken is the perfect ingredient for having fun with flavor. We picked out a lineup of seasonings that aren’t traditionally thought of as options for chicken. Just because something is a “salmon rub,” doesn’t mean it won’t pair well with poultry, right...?

Don't take our word for it. We had a group of taste testers ready to put that theory to the test. Which seasonings reigned supreme and did they hold up to the classics?

Seven unlikely contenders stand shoulder to shoulder, awaiting their chance to shine.

Bucktown Brown Mustard & Honey Rub

Canyon Road Red Enchilada Dry Sauce

Mild Yellow Curry Powder

Pearl St. Plank Salmon Rub

Dill Dip

Piri-Piri Seasoning

Buffalo Wing Dry Sauce

With help from our trusty Test Kitchen, we secured chicken breasts and thighs, set up a baking rack and generously rubbed one spice blend on each piece of chicken. We baked them until they reached the proper internal temperature (165° degrees). Once they were ready, we put them out with toothpicks for everyone in the office to try.

We asked the taste testers to write down their top three favorites...

The Results

First Place: Pearl St. Plank Salmon Rub and Dill Dip

Second Place: Bucktown Brown Mustard & Honey Rub, Canyon Road Red Enchilada Dry Sauce, and Buffalo Wing Dry Sauce.

Third place: Mild Yellow Curry Powder and Piri-Piri Seasoning

So what did we learn?

Chicken is indeed the perfect canvas on which to paint your flavor masterpiece. While they all tasted delicious, each taster had their own preference and there wasn’t a “loser” in the bunch.

Don’t be misled by the name of a seasoning. Who would have guessed that a salmon rub would turn out to be the crowd favorite for chicken? (Well a few of us did but that’s beside the point.)

What are the best seasonings for chicken?

The real answer? The best seasonings for chicken are whatever you find tasty. Like we said earlier, in many ways the flavor of chicken is a blank slate- so don’t hold back from experimenting with new spices and seasonings! But, naturally we have a few favorites:

Home to Roost 4 Jar Set: Ban boring poultry with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, Mt. Olympus Greek Style Seasoning, Pyramid Peak Lemon Pepper, and TSM BBQ Chicken Rub. We selected these four seasonings for our Home to Roost set because they’re our tried and true favorites for chicken.

Poultry Seasoning: Previously known as Sage & Savory Stuffing Seasoning, this blend will transport you directly to Thanksgiving. But it's so much more than an autumn favorite. Instant Pot Roast Chicken is a quick and easy recipe for a classic, delicious fall-off-the bone roast.

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Spices: If you’ve never had true Nashville hot fried chicken before, you’re totally missing out. But never fear, you can make it at home with this spicy, savory blend that’s a Southern favorite.

Nantucket Herb & Citrus Poultry Rub: This blend is bright and flavorful because of a tasty combo of airy herbs, zesty citrus and aromatic garlic. As a rub, we suggest using 1 tsp. of seasoning per pound of poultry, or more to taste. Generously rub the seasoning on the outside of the poultry skin and/or underneath the skin before cooking.

The classics are called classics for a reason. It’s hard to get past the nostalgia factor of familiar flavors like sage and lemon, but so so worth it. At least our taste testers would agree!

What’s your favorite Savory Spice seasoning to use on chicken? Send us an email at savory@savoryspiceshop.com or take a pic and tag us on social media using #savoryspiceshop.