Best Spices and Herbs for Cooking Chicken

Chicken easily takes the top pick when it comes to meat. Easy to cook and versatile, you can bake, grill, fry, boil, sauté, roast or just cook it however you want. Most people love how it can easily be turned into something simple or festive depending on the occasion and of course, on the spices and herbs you decide to pair it with.

Choosing the right spices to pair with your chicken dish can be hard. The choices are more than plenty. To save you the trouble, here’s a list of some of the best herbs and spices that work best with poultry dishes.

Black pepper
No self-respecting cook would let his kitchen run out of black pepper, which makes it an easy spice to reach whenever you needed something to get your chicken game going. It is mildly spicy which adds a bit of heat to your dish and the aroma from released from freshly ground peppercorns, when infused into the dish, is just mouth-watering. To keep their freshness and aroma, keep them whole. You can just grind a few seeds whenever a recipe calls for it so they can enjoy a much longer shelf life.

Ginger
Although technically a root vegetable, ginger is often used in many chicken dishes as an herb or spice to help enhance the flavor. A popular ingredient in Indian and Chinese cooking, it is the spicy zing that the ginger provides that makes it a really great addition to a chicken recipe. It also helps remove that smell that is typical of chicken. When combined with other spices like garlic and pepper, it can easily transform your dish from mediocre to outstanding.

Basil
A favorite in Greek and Italian cuisine, basil. This herb is so easy to grow, which makes it all the more reason to start adding it to your chicken recipes. As the star of the ever-popular pesto sauce, it will definitely take your chicken dish to the next level. Its sweet and citrusy aroma makes it the perfect partner to lemongrass and coconut milk— something you definitely need to try out with your chicken if you’re looking an out of this world dining experience.

Garlic
There’s just no way you can build a spice repertoire without garlic in the mix. A bit spicy and pungent to the taste— it can make all the difference when added to chicken marinades and seasoning. On top of that, there are studies which link blood pressure decrease to regular garlic consumption. So, it’s not just one of those things that can transform your dish into something extraordinary—it’s got some real health benefits too.

Cinnamon
Most people would be forgiven for thinking that cinnamon is just a sweet spice. It is, after all, most popular as an ingredient for sweets, bread, and baked goods. But it is actually used for savory dishes, adding some warmth and earthy flavor to any recipe. Whether used on its own or blended with a variety of other spices, it is something you’d definitely want to try on your chicken.

Best Spices and Herbs for Cooking Chicken
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