Seasoning chicken is an art that requires exploration, forethought, and most of all, timing. Chicken is versatile and can wear almost any spice with ease, but once you’ve selected your spices, you need to know when to season your chicken to get the most mouth-watering flavor.

To get a more flavorful chicken, it’s best to season before cooking. Seasoning before cooking allows the spices to infiltrate the poultry's meat, providing a spectacular flavor, whereas seasoning after cooking coats only the surface of the chicken, leaving the inside bland and flavorless.

Chicken in particular benefits from ample seasoning, especially when the skin is attached, and it pairs exceptionally well with sage, lemon peel, and tarragon. Pat your chicken dry before adding your spices since they will stick better to a damp surface than a slimy, wet one, which will result in the most flavor.