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    Home » Main

    Spicy Salt-Rubbed Chicken

    Published: Oct 11, 2016 · Modified: Oct 5, 2022 by Carolyn Hetke · This post may contain affiliate links,

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Our friends served this Spicy Salt-Rubbed Chicken at a dinner party and I couldn't wait to get the recipe!

    Golden roasted chicken covered with herbs on a bed or roasted potatoes and carrots.

    Thank goodness my friend is a recipe-sharer!

    The original recipe is from Martha Stewart from her Menus for Entertaining.  She was entertaining 30 people for this recipe so most of us would need to pro-rate it for our everyday purposes!  The recipe below will work for 2 - 3 lb chickens which would serve about 6-8 people.

    Chef's Tips

    • This recipe is great to make at this time of the year when we can still gather fresh herbs from our gardens.  Oregano, thyme and rosemary are pretty commonly available but it might be a bit chancy to find all three in your supermarket in the dead of winter.  If you need to fall back on dried herbs use half the amount of fresh.
    • Be careful to use Kosher salt- it is coarse like coarse pickling salt. Do not substitute finer salt or it will not be edible.
    • You have some options around the chicken. The original recipe quarters the chickens which is a good way to get the seasoning in contact with as much of the chicken as possible. Chicken pieces are easier to grill as well. So - your choice whether to roast whole or in parts.
    • I chose to cook my chicken whole in the oven surrounded by potatoes and carrots to make a 1 dish meal.  That way the marinade for the chicken also seasoned the potatoes and carrots.  We loved it but if you are sensitive to spices then cook your vegetables separately so they will contrast the taste of the chicken.
    • Leftovers (if you have any!) keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

    Wine Pairing for Spicy Salt-Rubbed Chicken

    The savoury herbs in this dish make it a great candidate to pair with an oaked Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc.  Italian whites like Soave or Lugana with their herbal notes would also be a great choice.

    On the red spectrum, a Bordeaux blend or Old World Cabernet Sauvignon with their notes of cedar and thyme would work well.  A Cab Franc or Carmenère would also be interesting choices.

    Roasted chicken covered with herbs.

    Spicy Salt-Rubbed Chicken

    You can make this a 1 dish meal loaded with flavour! It is great when fresh herb are available in our gardens but you can make this any time of the year. You only need about 20 minutes hands on time but you want it to 'marinate' an hour or overnight so start ahead.
    Author: Carolyn Hetke

    If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!

    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Total Time: 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    Chicken

    • 2 3 lb chickens
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup fresh oregano (recommended) finely chopped (use 2 Tbsps if using dried herbs)
    • ¼ cup fresh rosemary (recommended) finely chopped, (use 2 Tbsps if using dried herbs)
    • ¼ cup fresh thyme leaves (recommended) finely chopped, (use 2 Tbsps if using dried herbs)
    • 4 Tbsps kosher salt
    • 2 Tbsps coarsely ground black pepper

    Vegetables

    • 12 medium yellow potatoes peeled
    • 12 large carrots peeled and cut into 4" lengths

    Instructions

    • Wash the chicken(s) and pat dry.
    • Combine all the spices, lemon and olive oil in a resealable bag and marinate chicken for 1 hour or overnight.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray.
    • Arrange potatoes and carrots in a layer in the bottom of the pan. Arrange the chicken(s) over the vegetables with space between them. Allow bit of the marinade to drain over the vegetables just enough to coat them. Discard the rest of the marinade.
    • Roast uncovered 20 minutes per pound plus 15 minutes. (If your chickens are 3 lbs each it will be 75 minutes total). If you are using a meat thermometer it should read 165 degrees F when inserted into the inner thigh. Be careful not to touch the bone.
    • Baste chickens part way through the roasting process.
    • Remove chickens from oven and loosely cover them with foil. Allow them to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

    Notes

    If you choose to quarter your chickens, preheat oven to 375 degrees or set grill to medium.  Cook chicken for about 25 minutes until juices run clear or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 
    Cook vegetables separately. You can choose to toss the vegetables in the marinade before roasting if you like.  Otherwise discard excess marinade.   If roasting vegetables they will take 45-50 minutes to roast at 350 degrees.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 4838mg | Potassium: 2014mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 24250IU | Vitamin C: 83mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thewineloverski or tag #thewineloverski!

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    Hi! I am Carolyn - the Wine Lover in the Wine Lover's Kitchen! I absolutely love having friends and family around my table with great food and wine to enjoy. If you want great recipes and wine recommendations you have come to the right place!

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