• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • Food Photography
  • Subscribe

MySpicyKitchen

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Food Photography
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Entrees

    Published: Jun 5, 2021 by Usha Rao

    Spice Rubbed Grilled Chicken Recipe

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy, healthy, juicy, spice rubbed grilled chicken is a crowd please. Homemade spice rub with roasted spices gives the chicken a smokey flavor. This is a must have chicken recipe on your weekly menu and also on your BBQ menus!

    Marinade and spice rubs are key to any grilled food. Beauty of spice rubs is, we can make it fresh just before rubbing it on to the meat or make it ahead of time.

    Today's spicy dry rub requires basic Indian spices available in any Indian kitchen and in most well versed western kitchens as well.

    A round platter of spicy grilled chicken with some cucumber carrot relish on the side.
    Jump to:
    • Homemade spice rubs
    • Why this recipe?
    • Ingredients
    • Preparation
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipes you might like
    • 📖 Recipe

    Homemade spice rubs

    I usually use store bought spice mixes for marinades and rubs. Tandoori masala for tandoori chicken, garam masala and tikka masala for simple grilling. All that changed when I saw a recipe in New York Times food section a decade ago.

    That recipe calls for preparing a spice rub by roasting spice powders, including cayenne powder. And all the spice powders are whole garam masala spices. That recipe is inspiration for this easy grilled chicken.

    Unlike the NYT recipe, I roast whole spices and then grind those to a powder. Roasting spices takes the flavor quotient to the next level.

    Now, I have a few favorite homemade spice rubs and creole seasoning is one of them. It goes well with both chicken and fish.

    Why this recipe?

    This is a simple grilled chicken recipe that you can put together in 1 hour, with minimal marination time. Actual cook time is 20-25 minutes depending on the grilling appliance.

    Ingredients for the rub are commonly used for most spicy grilled meat. But the uniqueness of this spice rub is that whole spices are first roasted and then ground to a powder. Roasting bring out the aroma and flavors of each spice.

    Prepare the spice blend head of time and this easy grilled chicken is ready in under 30 minutes. It is a great recipe for weekday dinners as well.

    When meal planning for the week, rub the spice mix and refrigerate the chicken for a day or two. If the plan is to prepare it later in the week, freeze marinated meat and thaw it in the refrigerator a day before preparation.

    Spice rubbed meat stays good in the freezer for 1-2 weeks, to up to a month. Put the meat in a freezer bag, date and label it for convenience.

    In fact, these day I freeze marinated meats. Meat absorbs the spice flavors better and tastes lot better than the ones marinated overnight.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for grilled chicken recipe.

    Chicken - Use small chicken drumsticks with skin. Make big gashes on the drumsticks for the spices to seep into the meat. Thighs and leg quarters also work but our preference is drumsticks.

    Spices - Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns and fenugreek seeds. Of all the spices, fenugreek might not not be a common spice in non Indian pantries and you can skip it, if you can not source the seeds.

    Dry Chilies - I use red chilies from Indian store. Use any dry red chili that is spicy hot or substitute with chili powder or cayenne pepper.

    Other Ingredients - Ginger garlic paste, turmeric, oil, lime juice and salt are the remaining ingredients.

    Preparation

    This is a simple grilled chicken recipe, so the preparation is also very easy. Prepare the spice rub, mix together rest of the ingredients to prepare a semi dry rub and rub it into drumsticks or thighs. Then grill in the oven or on the outdoor grill.

    Collage of broiled drumsticks preparation.

    Spice Rub - Dry roast all the spices and red chilies on medium flame until toasted. Remove from pan and let cool (images #1-2). Grind the spices in a mixie or a spice grinder to a powder.

    Prepare the rub - Make a semi dry rub by mixing together spice powder, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of oil.

    Prep the Chicken - Make big gashes on each drumstick, wash and pat dry. Rub the prepared rub paste to each drumstick and keep aside for at least 30-45 minutes or marinate overnight (image #3).

    In the Oven - Set the oven to broil mode. Line a grilling pan with an aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place a rack on it and line the drumsticks on it. Spray some PAM cooking or grilling oil. Broil for 24 minutes, turning around at 10 and 20 minutes point (images #4-6).

    Outdoor Grill - Fire up the grill, place drumsticks on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes until skin is crisp. Flip the drumsticks and grill for another 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear.

    Remove from the grill/oven, rest the drumsticks for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with some salad or a relish.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I know chicken is cooked?

    Use a thermometer and if the temperature at the thickest part of chicken reads 165F, then it is cooked. Or cut the chicken at the thickest part and if the juices run clean, then the it is fully cooked.

    A platter of spicy grilled drumsticks.

    Recipes you might like

    • 3 Jerk chicken drumsticks on a plate.
      Oven Cooked Jamaican Jerk Chicken
    • Grilled Chicken Salad, Southwestern Cuisine, Blogging Marathon
      Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad PB Lemon Dressing
    • Chicken Curry, Indian Curry, Indian Food, Indian Cuisine, Curry, Blogging Marathon, Cooking Carnival, Protein Rich Food, Cooking With Protein Rich Ingredients, Cooking With Chicken, No Tomato Curry, Cashew Chicken Curry, Chicken Korma,
      Chicken Curry with Cashew Powder
    • Murgh Anardana ~ Dried Pomegranate Chicken Curry

    📖 Recipe

    A platter of spicy grilled chicken.

    Spice Rubbed Grilled Chicken

    Spice rubbed grilled chicken is seasoned with roasted Indian spice mix and grilled to perfection.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Marination: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 325kcal
    Author: Usha Rao

    Equipment

    • Broil Pan or Roasting Pan
    • Big Bowl
    • Knife and Grilling Thongs
    • Spice grinder

    Ingredients

    Spice Rub

    • ⅛ teaspoon Cardamom seeds or Seeds of one Cardamom
    • 2 Cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin
    • 10 Black Peppercorns
    • ¼ inch Cinnamon Stick
    • 1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
    • 2 Dry Chilies use 3 for very spicy chicken

    Other Ingredients

    • 1 lbs Chicken Drumsticks or 5 Drumsticks
    • 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
    • 1 tablespoon Oil
    • 1-2 tablespoon Lime Juice or Juice of ½ a Lime
    • PAM Cooking Oil Spray or Oil for basting

    Instructions

    Spice Rub

    • Dry roast all the ingredients listed under spice rub. Roast them for 2-3 minutes or until lightly roasted. When preparing in bulk, roast each spice separately. For the quantity listed above, you can roast all at once.
    • Cool the spices and grind them to a fine powder.

    Prepare Chicken

    • In a big bowl take the spice powder, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, lime juice, little oil and mix it.
    • Wash and make 3-5 gashes on each drumstick. You can keep the skin or remove it. I made it with and without skin and both taste good, though we prefer with skin.
    • Add drumsticks to the spice bowl and rub the spices into it.
    • Let it marinate for at least 30 – 45 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. If refrigerating the chicken, remove it from the fridge ½-1 hour before grilling to bring it to room temperature.

    Broil in the Oven

    • Place the rack of the oven in the middle and set the broiler to high.
    • Line a grill pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place chicken drumsticks on the rack and spray PAM Cooking spray on drumsticks and broil for 10 minutes.
    • Turn the chicken pieces, spray PAM cooking oil or baste chicken with oil and broiler for another 10 minutes.
    • Turn the chicken pieces around and broil for another 2-5 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. I broiled it for 3 minutes.
    • Check the doneness of the chicken using a thermometer. Internal temperature at the thickest part of the chicken should read 165F or when cut, juices from the chicken should run clear.
    • Remove the chicken form the broiler, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

    On the Grill

    • Fire up the grill, place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes until skin is crisp. Flip the chicken and grill for another 6-8 minutes or until juices run clear.

    Notes

    • Chicken - We prefer small drumsticks for grilling. I buy a tray of drumsticks that weighs 1 – 1.3 pounds and has 5-6 pieces.  You can use thighs or leg quarters.
    • Nutrition - Nutritional information below are approximate values.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3pieces | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1327mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share a photo! Mention @usha_myspicykitchen or tag #Usha_MySpicyKitchen!

    Like the recipe, Pin It!

    Signup to the newsletter to receive latest updates from MySpicyKitchen.

    Blogging Marathon Logo.

    This post was originally published in Oct 2013. Republished with new content and images.

    More Entrees

    • A platter of Indian flavored chicken patties.
      Indian Chicken Cutlet Recipe
    • Anda biryani bowl with fork and spoon on the top right corner, swigs of cilantro to the top left of the bowl.
      Egg Dum Biryani
    • Delicious creamy salmon farfalle pasta
      Salmon Farfalle Pasta - Simple Summer Meal
    • Healthy easy fresh salmon patties with some salad
      Healthy Fresh Salmon Patties - Easy Burger Patties

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Narmadha says

      July 08, 2021 at 1:30 am

      5 stars
      I made this simple spice-rubbed grill chicken for my kids during the weekend. They loved it a lot and asked for extra. Planning to make this again this week. Thanks for sharing quick and easy recipe.

      Reply
    2. Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says

      June 12, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      If there is something that the folks really love, then it is a good grilled chicken, and I love making them because they are really hassle free. I am drooling at the clicks... so delicious it looks...

      Reply
    3. Vaishali says

      June 11, 2021 at 4:25 am

      Any grilled food needs a good marinade, and I am sure your dish has that to please all.

      Reply
    4. Suma Gandlur says

      June 08, 2021 at 4:28 pm

      The picture looks vibrant !

      Reply
    5. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      October 29, 2013 at 10:52 pm

      Love the pictures Usha! So bright and vibrant 🙂

      Reply
    6. veena says

      October 29, 2013 at 4:05 am

      Lovely clicks!!

      Reply
    7. Sapana says

      October 23, 2013 at 2:44 am

      That whole platter looks inviting!

      Reply
    8. Pavani says

      October 22, 2013 at 10:56 pm

      Lovely clicks Usha. I saw a similar tray in IKEA, but didn't know how to use and hence didn't buy it. But now I know it can be used to serve food right on it. May be next time we go I'll get it.

      Reply
      • MySpicyKitchen says

        October 23, 2013 at 12:35 am

        Pavani, that tray is from IKEA. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Srivalli says

      October 20, 2013 at 5:18 am

      The picture composition is wonderful Usha..very well captured..and the chicken seems to have been made perfect!

      Reply
    10. Priya says

      October 20, 2013 at 3:49 am

      omg, those spice rubbed grilled chicken thighs are just inviting me, makes a fantastic lunch with those cucumber relish for me.

      Reply
    11. Vinitha says

      October 20, 2013 at 2:29 am

      This looks yum! I was looking for grill friendly chicken recipes and this goes to my list

      Reply
    12. Mireille says

      October 20, 2013 at 12:25 am

      what a yummy spiced chicken - I made a similar one a few months back using Maddhur Jaffry recipe - this looks delicious. and I am trying that cucumber salad tomorrow as I have all of the ingredients

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I am Usha! Welcome to my space. I am the content creator and photographer here. I love cooking and all the recipes on the site are tried and tested in my kitchen.

    More about me →


    Holiday Recipes

    • Fresh cranberry Christmas cake is a tangy & sweet cake
      Fresh Cranberry Christmas Cake
    • Loaf of non alcoholic low calorie classic fruit cake
      Low Calorie, Non Alcoholic Fruit Cake
    • plate of masi samoa.
      Masi Samoa, Coconut Shortbread Cookies
    • Norwegian Rice Porridge, Norwegian Food, Norwegian Cuisine, Rice Porridge, Rice Pudding, Norwegian Rice Pudding, Food of the World,
      Norwegian Rice Porridge for Food of the World
    • Collard Greens, Pepperoni, Food & Wine, Cooking from Cookbook Challenge, CCChallenge, Side Dish, Thanksgiving Recipes,
      Sauteed Collard Greens with Pepperoni
    • Thanksgiving Side Dishes, Side Dish, Swiss Chard, Piccata, Piccata Swiss Chard, Cooking form cookbook Challenge, CCChallenge, Food & Wine,
      Piccata Swiss Chard

    Popular

    • Sq image of a platter of veg canapes.
      Bread Canapes Recipe
    • Shrimp noodle soup in a bowl
      Easy Shrimp Noodle Soup Chinese Style
    • Top down view of chicken clear soup.
      Chicken Clear Soup Recipe, Indian Style
    • Omani Food, Omani Cuisine, Roasted Meat, Blogging Marathon, Around the world in 30 days with ABC cooking,
      Omani Shuwa ~ Slow Cooked Lamb

    Finger Food

    • Broiled shrimp.
      Party Shrimp Recipe
    • Tortilla cheese chips, Tortilla cheese crisps, Tucson Cheese Crisps, Blogging Marathon, Tortilla dish,
      Arizona Cheese Crisps
    • Plate of bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers
      3 Ingredient Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
    • A platter of Fiesta pinwheels and a bowl of salsa
      Fiesta Pinwheels, Yummy Party Food

    Curry Recipes

    • A bowl of lima beans curry.
      Lima Beans Curry, Video Recipe
    • Bowl of ulligadda ukkera.
      Onion Egg Curry ~ Ulligadda Ukkera
    • A bowl of chikkudukaya kura or Indian broad beans in a platter along with a bowl of rice.
      Chikkudukaya Kura - Indian Broad Beans Fry
    • Gutti vankaya masala is a flavorful eggplant curry stuffed with peanut sesame spice mix.
      Gutti Vankaya Masala - Stuffed Baby Eggplant Curry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe

    Contact

    • Know Me

    Copyright © 2025 MySpicyKitchen

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.