Montreal Chicken Seasoning Copycat Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links.

146 Shares

Jump to Recipe

No boring chicken here! Get our Montreal Chicken Seasoning copycat recipe to add complex flavor to your dishes.

Note: Below you’ll find a recipe for a full 1/2 cup (4oz.) batch of Montreal Chicken seasoning. In addition, in case you’re trying to make a recipe that calls for Montreal seasoning and you just want to make a little bit, we’ve also given a recipe below that makes a small batch of just 2 tablespoons. We hope you find this helpful!

Jump To:

What Is Montreal Chicken Seasoning?

Also known as Canada Chicken Seasoning and Quebec Chicken Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning is a popular blend of onion, garlic, orange zest, herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, and black pepper.

Both the Montreal Steak Seasoning and Montreal Chicken Seasoning are robust with garlic, onion, and heat from black pepper. However, the Montreal Chicken flavor profile is more complex with additional herbs and citrus peel.

Different blends like the popular McCormick version can be easily found in grocery stores and online, however, they tend to be very salty and peppery. So I like to make my own so that the flavors are more balanced and more like the pickling spice origins on which the Montreal spice blends are based.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

In addition to the garlic, onion, and pepper base, Montreal Chicken Seasoning also contains rosemary, thyme, paprika, and orange zest. The blend also typically has dehydrated green bell pepper, which can be hard to find in grocery stores and can be an expensive ingredient that you might not use very often.

On the label of store-bought blends, the bell pepper is usually listed last, so there would be very little of it in the mix. I’ve substituted this with ground coriander. It gives my homemade version that same fresh, grassy flavor that a bell pepper would provide, along with citrus and floral notes that blend well with the orange zest.

How To Make Copycat Montreal Chicken Seasoning

To make the Montreal Chicken Seasoning, whisk together the onion, garlic, black pepper, salt, rosemary, thyme, paprika, coriander, and orange zest in a medium bowl.

Set this aside and let the mixture stand for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the moisture and oils from the orange zest. Break up any clumps that form and then transfer mixture to an air-tight container. Store up to 3 months in a cool, dry, dark, place.

To Make 2 Teaspoons of Montreal Chicken Seasoning, Combine:
• 2 and 1/4 tsp. dehydrated onion • 1/2 Tbsp. dehydrated garlic • 1/2 tsp. black pepper • 1/2 tsp. salt • Pinch each of coriander, rosemary, thyme, and paprika • 1/4 of orange, zested

To Add Directly to the Food You’re Cooking: Add almost a tablespoon of dehydrated onion and half a tablespoon of dehydrated garlic. Add half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper and pinches of any or all of the following – coriander, rosemary, thyme, and paprika. Zest some orange on top.

Uses For This Seasoning Blend

The Montreal Chicken Seasoning makes a quick and easy dry rub for chicken, shrimp, fish, and pork. You can absolutely use this on roasted or grilled vegetables too.

I also like to mix it with oil and vinegar to make a marinade or salad dressing, or with sour cream to make a dip. In addition, it’s perfect as a seasoning rub for beef and pork roasts, too.

More Amazing Seasoning Blends

Chicken Taco Seasoning
Poultry Seasoning Blend
Chicken Wings Dry Rub
Turkey Seasoning Recipe
Pot Roast Seasoning Mix
Montreal Steak Seasoning