Some people spend the winter months making hearty stews and crock pot-braised meats. I spend them roasting chickens.

A simple roast chicken is one of the first dishes I learned to cook and one that brings me the greatest sense of satisfaction. Whole animal cooking—the thing that chefs gloat about doing in large, dug-out pits in the country or in fancy, tricked-our restaurant kitchens—doesn't have to be hard. In fact, it doesn't get much easier or more delicious than with chicken.

One of the keys to poultry success is in the rub—and it's time to move past standard issue salt and pepper. Whether you're roasting the whole bird or a four-pack of chicken thighs, these rubs will make any chicken dinner better.

It will look a whole lot like this, only chicken-sized. Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell

GARLIC + MAYO

Maybe you've heard of aioli-rubbed turkey (aka #mayoturkey), our trick to conjuring the best Thanksgiving bird known to man? You can produce the same, crisp-skinned results with chicken. Just combine store-bought or homemade mayo with garlic that's been smashed into pasty submission and slather it all over your chicken before roasting.

PAPRIKA + DRIED OREGANO + OLIVE OIL

Sweet, smoke-laced paprika is one of my best friends when it comes to making weeknight chicken dinner more interesting. It doesn't take much of the stuff—along with a bit of dried oregano and a good amount of olive oil—to take chicken from zero to hero.

ZA'ATAR + ROASTED GARLIC + OLIVE OIL

I'm obsessed with za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend of thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac. It's great mixed into dips, sprinkled atop griddled flatbread, and, yes, incorporated in a rub for chicken. Try pairing it with creamy roasted garlic and grassy olive oil. Buy za'atar at your local grocery store or make your own.

HARISSA + SALT + PEPPER

This Moroccan chile pepper paste adds a spicy kick to anything it touches. But harissa isn't your average chile paste: It gets added layers of complexity from garlic, olive oil and an array of spices like coriander, cumin, and mint. Apply a liberal coating to the chicken pre-roasting and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bonus: Your chicken will pick up a glorious red hue.

LEMON ZEST + OLIVE TAPENADE

Looking for something with a bit of acidic brightness to counteract those fatty, low notes? Turn to a handful of microplaned lemon zest and briny olive tapenade.