Originally posted November 30, 2011

cajun dry rub roast chicken

If you like Cajun food, you need to get your hands on Donald Link's Real Cajun cookbook (http://amzn.com/0307395812). It's the bomb. Kevin's cooked up a bunch of things from it--all of which I love--but for me the standout is not a dish at all. It's Donnie's Spice Mix, which is a blend of spices that is so good I can eat it straight. (No kidding. I will like my finger and stick in into the spice mix as if it were Fun Dip.) Various recipes in the cookbook utilize the spice blend. I decided to do my usual roast chicken and sprinkle it with a simplified version of this spice blend. Wow! I think I may never go back to my basic roast chicken now...

Ingredients

4 lb chicken
1 tbsp kosher or sea salt
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

6 servings

Directions

Wash and dry the chicken inside and out. Place it breast-side up on a cast-iron skillet.

Blend the spices and salt, and rub it all over the chicken.

Preheat the oven to 400º or let the rub sit on the chicken for a few hours in the refrigerator before preheating.

Place the skillet on the lowest rack in the oven and cook for about 1 hour. Keep an eye on it. If the top gets too brown, you can tent a little bit of foil on top.

Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

90 minutes