Salt & Pepper Chicken, that really is just Salt & Pepper. No additional ingredients or processing is necessary. Just plain Salt & Pepper.
This recipe serves as a base to get additional flavors should you choose to do so. Staying within the Salt & Pepper box or stepping out and adding in additional ingredients.
It lends itself to so much creativity in creating new and exciting flavors. Even for those who haven’t experimented much with seasonings, this post offers to spark that creativity by starting off with two simple ingredients that are used everywhere.
Salt
The Salt used in the basic recipe is Sea Salt. From here, additional Salts can be used depending on what you are after.
- Himalayan Salt
- Specialty Salts
- Smoked Salt
- Celery Salt
- Garlic Salt
- Rosemary Infused Salt
- MSG, which is considered a salt
- and more…
Sea Salt
Pepper
The Pepper used in the basic recipe is Black & White Pepper. From here, additional peppers can be used.
- Cayenne Pepper
- Specialty Black Peppers
- Red Peppercorn
- Green Peppercorn
- Aleppo Pepper
- Urfa Pepper
- Lindi Peppers
- Cubeb Pepper
- Bukovo Pepper
- Chili Pepper
- and more…
Black Pepper
White Pepper
Salt & Pepper Seasoning
You can see, while staying in the Salt & Pepper Seasonings, a lot of variation can be made.
From here we can build upon the flavors for countless versions staying within the Salt and Pepper Seasoning, like adding in 1/2 part MSG or stepping outside of it and adding Citric Acid for Salt & Pepper Tang Chicken.
Salt & Pepper Blend
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
This makes for an excellent Hamburger Seasoning. It’s an all-purpose seasoning for many other dishes. Get creative with it!
Chicken
Trim away any excess fat from the chicken and clean. For more information on this, visit my post on How to prepare chicken.
Either season the Chicken directly or brush the Chicken with Oil before seasoning. JAH Meat Oil can be used here to add a smokey flavor to the Chicken if desired.
Chicken Quarters
Use Chicken Quarters, Thighs and/or Legs.
How to bake Chicken Quarters
The best results are obtained when Chicken Quarters, Thighs and/or Legs are baked in middle rack position in a 375 F preheated oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, shut the oven heat off but leave the Chicken in there for about 15–20 minutes before serving.
Salt & Pepper Chicken variations
There are plenty of ways to build upon the base seasoning. Many places to use it as well such as on Chicken Wings for Salt & Pepper Wings, Steaks, Roasted Poultry, Burgers, and so on.
Salt & Pepper Tang Chicken
Add Citric Acid to offer Tang to the overall seasoning. This amount offers a slight tang, however you could add more based on preference for an even tangier chicken.
Salt & Pepper Tang Seasoning
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Citric Acid (This is a Slight Tang, add more to your taste)
Chipotle Chicken
Add Chipotle Powder to the base Seasoning instead of the Black & White Pepper for Chipotle Chicken.
Chipotle Chicken Seasoning
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1/2 Tbl Chipotle Powder
Rosemary Chicken
Add 1 tsp or more of Ground Rosemary to the base Salt & Pepper Seasoning. To take this further, you could finely chop fresh rosemary and combine it with the Base Salt & Pepper Seasoning. Lay it out on a baking sheet and let dry overnight before storing it in a container to use here for this chicken.
Added Lemon Zest and/or Garlic Powder can up and assist the Flavors as well.
Rosemary Chicken Seasoning
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp ground Rosemary or more and 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
Equipment
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Legs or Thighs - Or 4 Chicken Quarters
- 1 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F with the rack in middle position. Clean and prep the Chicken.
- Combine the Salt & Peppers in a small bowl and sprinkle over Chicken. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Shut the Oven off, but leave the Chicken in there to rest 15–20 minutes before serving.