FINGER LICKIN': BBQ Rub-Roasted Chicken

I always forget to marinade ahead of time, so when I was watching the Food Network, this BBQ dry rub caught my attention-- especially since I had almost all of the ingredients in my cupboard. I first made it a few months ago (the day after I watched the show), for Chris and my dad after they spent a day putting in our new fence.  The bold, spicy flavors of the rub make for finger-lickin' chicken that has quite a kick.

Things to Note:

-Her full recipe calls for an entire chicken, which I haven't done. When roasting chicken breasts I've just relied on my meat thermometer to adjust the cooking time.

-Brining makes remarkably moist chicken. However, if you don't have the time, I consider it optional-- "bonus" I guess you could say. I've rubbed the mixture straight onto chicken two minutes before baking and grilling on separate occasions, and it's been moist and delicious.

-Being health-conscious I've been afraid of chicken skin and bones for a long time. I only bought boneless, skinless chicken breasts up until recently. I've realized how much flavor I've sacrificed. My perfect "medium" is now buying boneless with the skin still on. I cook the chicken with the skin on for flavor and moisture but usually choose not to eat it. So worth it! If you do cook with the skin, make sure to get some of that rub between the meat and skin :)

-I've made several versions of the rub... I've been out of onion powder at one time, out of garlic powder another, and ran out of cumin and paprika partway through making the mixture a different time. I've also used dried thyme rather than ground thyme. All variations were great.

-Whenever I try a new spicy recipe, I usually tone down the spice that it calls for as a precaution. I did just that, only using half of the cayenne pepper and still found the rub to have a substantial kick. I've never upped the amount since, so you'll notice I modified the recipe below. It's fiery the way I've made it, but if you can't get things hot enough, dare to make the recipe the way it was originally written :)

-I haven't ever used the butter in her recipe. I haven't missed it either.

BBQ RUB-ROASTED CHICKEN

recipe adapted from Sunny Anderson, thefoodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

BRINE:

• 8 cups water
• 1 lemon, juiced and halves reserved
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (7 to 8 pound) whole roaster chicken

RUB:

makes about 3/4 cup

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon dried ground thyme
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (2 teaspoons for the original recipe)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lemon, zested 

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Method:

In a bowl large enough to fit the chicken, combine the water, lemon juice and halves, salt, and sugar. Whisk until salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the chicken to the bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. If the brine does not fully cover the chicken, rotate the chicken halfway through the brining process. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl add half of the BBQ Rub and 1/2 stick unsalted, room temperature butter. Mix until well combined. Refrigerate for a few minutes if the butter begins to melt after mixing. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Use your fingers to gently release the skin from the flesh of the breasts and legs. Spread the butter mixture evenly under the skin and over the breast and legs. Pat the remaining BBQ rub mixture all over the bird. Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack and bake until golden and the juices run clear, basting frequently, for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Baste the chicken thoroughly with the drippings in pan, return to the oven, and let bake until the skin is brown and crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Carve the meat and arrange on a serving platter.