Best Chile Rubbed Chicken Recipes

CHILE-RUBBED GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SALSA

Steps:

• Butterfly the chicken: Slice each breast almost in half horizontally (do not cut all the way through); open like a book so the chicken lies flat.
• Combine the olive oil, garlic, ancho chile powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, chipotle chile powder, 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium. Meanwhile, make the salsa: Toss the tomatoes, tomatillos, red onion and the remaining 3 teaspoons lime juice in a bowl; season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Brush the grill grates with olive oil. Grill the chicken, turning once, until marked and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Top with the salsa and serve with the lime wedges.
• Per serving: Calories 344; Fat 7 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 148 mg; Sodium 769 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 60 g Photograph by Yunhee Kim

CHILE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREAST WITH KALE, QUINOA AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa, season with salt and cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer over medium-low, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the chipotle powder, oregano and 1 grated garlic clove. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and rub the chipotle mixture evenly over the meat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon, shallots and remaining grated garlic until combined. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil until thick and emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked quinoa, kale, Brussels sprouts and almonds together until combined. Add the dressing and cheese and toss lightly until coated; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the mixture among 4 serving plates and top each with a sliced chicken breast. Serve immediately.

SERRANO CHILE-RUBBED ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken: Put the chicken in a large zip-top bag with the beer and vinegar. Seal and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Make the spice rub: Pulse the garlic, oregano, olive oil, serrano chile, cumin seeds, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor to make a paste. (If you don't have a mini food processor, finely chop the garlic, oregano and chile, then whisk in the spices and olive oil.)
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Rub all over and under the skin with the spice rub, put on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil and roast until slightly golden, 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and continue roasting until the chicken skin is golden brown and crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees F, about 25 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, brush the skin with the pan drippings and let rest 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt.

CURRY RUBBED SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SORGHUM-CHILE GLAZE

Steps:

• For the chicken thighs: Bring 4 cups water, salt and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool completely. Put the chicken in a bowl and add the cooled brine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse well and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, for the sorghum-chile glaze: Combine 1 tablespoon water, the sorghum, chile de arbol and sprinkle with salt and pepper over low heat in a small saucepan. Cook the glaze until syrupy. Set aside 1/3 cup glaze.
• For the curry rub: Combine the ancho chile, coriander, cumin, fennel, salt, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, pepper and chile de arbol in a small bowl. Rub each chicken thigh with some of the spice rub and brush with the oil.
• Prepare the kettle grill or smoker for indirect grilling, with medium-high heat over the coals. Put the chicken skin-side down over the direct heat and cook until just crsipy, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter.
• Scatter the apple wood chips over the coals. Return the chicken to the grill over the indirect heat. Cover the grill. Cook the chicken between 250 and 275 degrees F, until a thermometer inserted in the chicken registers 160 degrees F, 45 to 50 minutes. At about 30 minutes, brush the chicken with some of the sorghum-chile glaze. Just before removing the chicken from the grill, brush with more of the sorghum-chile glaze again.
• Transfer the chicken to a platter and drizzle some of the reserved sorghum-chile glaze on top.

CHILE-RUBBED CHICKEN BREAST WITH KALE, QUINOA AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa, season with salt and cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer over medium-low, and cook until the quinoa has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the chipotle powder, oregano and 1 grated garlic clove. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and rub the chipotle mixture evenly over the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon, shallots and remaining grated garlic until combined. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil until thick and emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked quinoa, kale, Brussels sprouts and almonds together until combined. Add the dressing and cheese and toss lightly until coated; season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among 4 serving plates and top each with a sliced chicken breast. Serve.

CHILE-RUBBED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the chile powder, cumin, paprika, plus salt and pepper to taste. Rub the chicken all over with the chile mix.
• Add the olive oil to a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, and swirl to cover bottom. Add the onion rounds in a single layer, then the thyme. Add chicken, skin side up. Transfer to oven, and bake until the chicken has cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Let chicken cool slightly. Using your fingers, remove the bones. Slice each breast, crosswise, into four or five pieces. Serve with the roasted onion rounds and thyme.

CHILE-AND-CITRUS-RUBBED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously inside and out with salt. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and let sit 1 hour at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely grind coriander and fennel seeds in spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl and add orange zest, lemon zest, oil, red pepper flakes, and paprika; mix well. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then rub all over with spiced oil.
• Whisk broth, wine, and tomato paste in a cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. enameled cast-iron baking dish to combine. Place chicken in the center and scatter garlic cloves around. Roast chicken, turning pan halfway through and adding an additional 1/4 cup water if pan looks dry, until chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 155°F, 50-60 minutes (temperature will climb to 160°F as chicken rests). Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, strain liquid left in pan through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring glass or small bowl; discard anything in sieve. Taste; season sauce with salt if needed. Set aside.
• Place potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1". Add a large handful of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes back to pot.
• Cut potatoes into large pieces (or, if you can handle the heat, break up with your hands). Pour reserved sauce over potatoes. Add parsley, season with salt, and gently toss to combine.
• Place chicken on a platter and serve potatoes alongside.

SERRANO CHILE-RUBBED ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken: Put the chicken in a large zip-top bag with the beer and vinegar. Seal and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Make the spice rub: Pulse the garlic, oregano, olive oil, serrano chile, cumin seeds, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor to make a paste. (If you don't have a mini food processor, finely chop the garlic, oregano and chile, then whisk in the spices and olive oil.) Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Rub all over and under the skin with the spice rub, put on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil and roast until slightly golden, 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and continue roasting until the chicken skin is golden brown and crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees F, about 25 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, brush the skin with the pan drippings and let rest 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt.

CHILE-AND-CITRUS-RUBBED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously inside and out with salt. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and let sit 1 hour at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 425°. Coarsely grind coriander and fennel seeds in spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl and add orange zest, lemon zest, oil, red pepper flakes, and paprika; mix well. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then rub all over with spiced oil.
• Whisk broth, wine, and tomato paste in a cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. enameled cast-iron baking dish to combine. Place chicken in the center and scatter garlic cloves around. Roast chicken, turning pan halfway through and adding an additional ¼ cup water if pan looks dry, until chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 155°, 50-60 minutes (temperature will climb to 160° as chicken rests). Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, strain liquid left in pan through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring glass or small bowl; discard anything in sieve. Taste; season sauce with salt if needed. Set aside.
• Place potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover by 1". Add a large handful of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes back to pot.
• Cut potatoes into large pieces (or, if you can handle the heat, break up with your hands). Pour reserved sauce over potatoes. Add parsley, season with salt, and gently toss to combine.
• Place chicken on a platter and serve potatoes alongside.