This Blackened Chicken recipe is an easy, spicy Cajun dish that is amazingly versatile. Cajun seasoning is used as Blackened Spice to sear the chicken, which is baked to finish.
Blackened chicken is a south Louisiana staple and is often associated with Cajun and Creole cooking. Blackened chicken was made famous by Chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans, who created the blackening technique. It is a hallmark of Cajun cuisine. Blackened recipes include a variety of proteins, such as chicken, seafood, and more, all known for their bold, spicy flavor and signature dark crust.
It's important to note that blackened chicken is not the same as burnt chicken. The dark crust you see is not blackened chicken burnt or burnt chicken; it's the result of Blackening or Cajun seasoning being seared at high heat, creating a flavorful, crispy exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
Blackened Chicken, Easy Cajun Chicken
This easy blackened chicken recipe has become a staple for me recently. The cooking method seals in the juices and flavors the chicken just right. Since I use my own homemade Cajun seasoning as the blackening spice I know the sodium is moderate and there are no additives. I also use it to prepare my Blackened Salmon.
What is Blackened Chicken?
Blackened chicken like all blackened meats is coated with a Cajun spice mix then seared in hot skillet with high heat (typically cast iron). This cooking technique creates a delicious dark colored crispy outer crust from the spice mixture. Unless particularly thin the chicken cutlets are often finished in the oven to cook through. Traditionally, melted butter is used in blackening, but many modern cooks like myself use a high heat oil and finish with a pat or two of butter if desired.
Is Blackened Chicken Healthy?
While burning food in general is not a healthy choice, blackened chicken breasts are not burnt.
Modern recipes using the blackening technique are far healthier than old school methods. In my blackened chicken recipe, boneless skinless chicken breast is used, which is high in protein, but low in fat. particularly saturated fat, making it a healthy protein choice. Homemade blackening spice is lower in sodium than most store bought and the chicken is seared in healthier oil. High heat oils like light olive oil or avocado oil, commonly used for blackened chicken, are good sources of healthy polyunsaturated or monosaturated fats. It is also just lightly charred, then finished in the oven.
The resulting dish fits in beautifully, with low carb diets such as keto, as well as, Mediterranean, Weight Watchers and a host of other diets.
Blackened Chicken Seasoning
The secret to a truly memorable blackened chicken breast recipe lies in the bold, aromatic blend of spices that make up the blackened chicken seasoning. This seasoning mixture is what gives blackened chicken its signature smoky flavor and deep, dark crust. To make blackened chicken seasoning at home, simply combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, dried herbs and salt. in a small bowl. For extra depth, opt for smoked paprika, which adds a subtle smokiness that pairs perfectly with the heat from the cayenne pepper. You can easily adjust the amount of cayenne to suit your spice preference, add more for a fiery kick or less for a milder flavor. Once mixed, store your seasoning mixture in an airtight container, and you’ll always have it ready for your next batch of blackened chicken or other chicken recipes. This homemade blend is not only fresher than store-bought options but also allows you to control the flavor and heat level every time you make blackened chicken. I simply use my own homemade Cajun Seasoning when making blackened chicken breasts, as it is nearly the same spice mix.
Chicken Breasts
When it comes to making the best blackened chicken, choosing the right chicken breasts is key. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are ideal for this recipe because they cook evenly and allow the blackened seasoning to form a flavorful crust without the interference of skin or bones. While I use breast cutlets here boneless skinless chicken thighs are also well suited to the recipe. If you’re using frozen chicken, be sure to thaw it completely and pat the chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning; this step helps the spices stick and ensures a beautiful sear. For larger chicken breasts, you may need to increase the cooking time slightly to ensure they reach the safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Always use a meat thermometer to check doneness, especially with thicker or larger chicken breasts. Taking the time to pat the chicken dry and season it well will help you achieve juicy, perfectly cooked blackened chicken every time.
How to Make Blackened Chicken
This seared then baked chicken is crazy easy to make. Let's make a batch right now. Printable recipe card below.
Total time to make the dish will be about 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
In addition to a cast iron skillet, here are the ingredients you will need to make the dish.
- Chicken breast cutlets
- high heat oil
- Cajun Seasoning (blackened seasoning)
The Cajun seasoning is easy to prepare, but I strongly prefer making in in batches. The seasoning stores well and lasts just as long as the spices in it; paprika, salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, white pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Preparation
To start preheat oven to 400 degrees, then pat dry your chicken breasts with paper towels. Place the iron skillet over med-high to high heat add oil and spread to cover bottom of pan. Heat the pan until it is smoking hot or at least at a minimum a drop of water sizzles quickly on it. Your pan will seem more smoky than in the video, I have a fan blowing directly on mine to film.
Cover chicken breast cutlets with the seasoning spices, either coat and add the seasoned chicken to the hot pan or just cover top and flip seasoned side down in skillet, then season the other side in pan. The second way is shown in video.
Sear for a 3-5 minutes until blackened chicken easily releases from pan and is dark in color. Flip and sear another minute or two before moving the skillet to the oven. As you can see, the outer surface is seared, but middle is still pink.
Bake for 8-15 minutes. The wide variation on time is due to varying sizes of chicken breasts. A small 4 oz breast will cook faster and be done in about 10 minutes, whereas the larger breasts like I've shown here will take 13-15 minutes to finish cooking.
Let the chicken rest a few minutes before serving. While you can serve as is, I prefer to slice the breasts prior to serving.
What to Serve with Blackened Chicken?
Some great pairings for this Cajun chicken dish, from sides, to dessert.
Appetizers
When it comes to selecting an appetizer to start off with, either go with something like a simple green salad with Avocado Lime Ranch dressing (Chick-fil-a copycat) or try something with similar flavors like Copycat Chili's Southwest Egg rolls.
Side Dishes
My favorite way to serve this spicy chicken is over a scoop of my Spanish cauliflower rice (as shown). Cajun Blackened Chicken is also served in several popular restaurants over a cheesy Alfredo pasta.
Popular side dishes to accompany blackened chicken include mashed potatoes, collard greens, creamy mac and cheese, coleslaw, roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted vegetables, are excellent complements to blackened chicken and help create a well-rounded meal.
The sliced breasts with blackened seasoning would also be nice over a simple bed of rice with Sautéed Vegetables and a drizzle of Yum Yum sauce. If you are not in the mood for rice, oven fried potatoes and baked asparagus would also team well with the chicken. Seasoned Sour Cream would also be a delicious cooling addition to the spicy chicken plate.
For those that want to temper the spice of the seasoning a scoop of potato salad with mayo ,blue cheese coleslaw or classic macaroni salad would be excellent choices.
Drinks
Peach Iced Tea, refreshing Rosewater Limeade or Pineapple lemonade would be good beverage choices. If you are in the mood for a stronger drink, a Bay Breeze drink, Bourbon Iced Tea or fun Blue Lagoon cocktail would be fabulous choices.
Time for Dessert
I would say simple dessert like Snicker Apple Salad or a Blueberry Dump Cake would finish this meal well. An old fashioned Southern Apple Dapple Cake would also make a great choice.
Leftovers for Meal Prep
The chicken is too spicy for my daughter. I use the extra chicken breasts as meal prep for my lunches while she is at school. The Cajun seasoned chicken incredibly versatile. The chicken breasts are great on salads, for sandwiches, in quesadillas or as the protein in a rice bowl. Drizzle on homemade Yum Yum sauce or make a batch of my Chick-fil-a sauce recipe to serve with the spicy chicken dishes.
Try blackened chicken chopped and mixed with mayo to make a spicy low carb chicken salad. It is of course a great addition to other dishes as well, such as Cajun Pasta or Crockpot Chicken Alfredo.
Blackened Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- large cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- To start preheat oven to 400 degrees, then pat dry your chicken breast cutlets with paper towels.
- Place cast iron skillet over med-high to high heat add oil and spread to cover bottom of pan.
- Cover each chicken breast piece with the seasoning, either coat or just cover top with the spices and flip seasoned side down in skillet, then season the other side in pan.
- Sear for a 3-5 minutes until chicken easily releases from pan and is dark in color.
- Flip and sear another minute or two before moving the skillet to the oven. As you can see, the outer surface is seared, but middle is still pink.
- Bake for 8-15 minutes. The wide variation on time is due to varying sizes of chicken breasts. A small 4 oz breast will be done in about 10 minutes, whereas the larger breasts like I've shown here will take 13-15 minutes to cook thoroughly.
- Let the chicken rest a few minutes before serving. While you can serve as is, I prefer to slice the breasts prior to serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Lisalia says
SO delicious! And love the link for the DIY cajun seasoning too. So much better than the bottle bought from the store!
Linda says
I am such a fan of blackened dishes and this chicken came out just the way I like it. A little spicy and lots of flavor. Of course, I always love using my iron skillet whenever I get the chance and it made all the difference in searing in the spices. Thanks for a great dinner.
Super Sally says
Made this blackened chicken for dinner last night, it was so good. Will maki again