Name: Tex-Mex Spice Rub
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Southwest (Tex-Mex)
Ingredients: 1/4 cup ground cumin; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 2 tablespoons ground coriander; 2 tablespoons dried oregano; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 4 teaspoons kosher salt; 2 teaspoons cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Why This Recipe Works

We set out to create savory, robust spice rub recipes for chicken that would give us deeply browned crusts filled with complex, concentrated flavors. For speed and ease, we chose preground spices (the dry heat of a grill toasts the spices right on the chicken) and added only a modest amount of salt. Using preground spices had another advantage: They proved to have excellent sticking power.

Before You Begin

This make-ahead spice rub is delicious on grilled chicken; it makes enough to season about 16 breasts. If stored in an airtight continer, the rub will remain potent for up to three months.