By Kia Damon
Published May 29, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- 4(33)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Blackening is a technique that should live in the repertoire of every home cook. With a heavy- bottomed skillet and a Cajun-style spice blend, you can take proteins like shrimp, fish, scallops and the chicken breasts in this recipe and flip them into something flavorful, delicious and juicy. Most grocery store chicken breasts are large, so slicing the chicken in half horizontally ensures they cook quickly and more evenly. Blackened chicken can stand alone as a main or it can sit atop a large, leafy salad with Caesar dressing or a creamy, Cajun pasta. When cooking this recipe, be aware of the inevitable smokiness that comes with searing at such high heat. Consider opening a window and turning the overhead fan on before getting started — nothing upends the cooking process quite like smoke alarms. Store any leftover chicken in the fridge for up to three days and upgrade your breakfast or lunch (think western-style omelets, breakfast burritos and chicken salad).
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1tablespoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal (or 1¾ teaspoons coarse kosher salt)
- 1tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½tablespoon dried thyme
- ½tablespoon dried oregano
- ½tablespoon garlic powder
- ½tablespoon onion powder
- 1teaspoon mustard powder
- 1teaspoon ground cayenne
- 2boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1½ to 2 pounds (see Tip)
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
318 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 45 grams protein; 490 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the blackening seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the salt, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder and cayenne.
Step
2
Carefully slice the chicken breasts horizontally in half, then pat dry with a paper towel. Thoroughly coat all sides with the blackening seasoning and set aside.
Step
3
Drizzle oil into a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully place the chicken in the pan and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Watch out for any oil splattering and popping out of the pan. Cook until the seasoning literally darkens. After 5 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes.
Step
4
Turn off the heat and leave the pan tented with aluminum foil for 5 minutes (this will help the chicken continue cooking from the residual heat without drying out). Remove the foil, then let the chicken rest for at least 2 minutes.
Step
5
When ready to serve, slice the chicken on a bias into ½-inch pieces. Serve immediately.
Tip
- About 30 minutes before prepping, remove the chicken from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature.
Ratings
4
out of 5
33
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
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Amelia
Tom made this on 06/04/24. A little salty and amazing. I had previously sliced the chicken breast to “cutlets”.
Kim W
I didn’t slice mine in half. Honestly forgot and had already started seasoning them. Used half the seasons & added 2 minutes to the cooking time after the first flip. Pan was definitively smoking hot. After being tented for 5 minutes they were 160. Lovely juicy & nicely chared. Delish & quick
Courtney
Delicious but too salty. I’d cut the salt by half. Also was pretty spicy with this level of cayenne but we like it that way.
Luddite
If you have a gas grill with a hob on the side, do this one outdoors. No need to worry about a smoky kitchen - or a smoke alarm.
Rita
Honestly sous vide chicken has a really odd texture, sort of rubbery but moist. I prefer to pre-salt 1/2 to 3/4 tsp per lb. overnight or all day. Then proceed with recipe but eliminate most of the salt in the seasonings. I usually just bake at 325 until 160 degrees but works in the skillet or grill. Chicken breasts are never dry this way.
Andy C
Very wise to think about the smoke detectors before starting!! In fact, I'll probably take this outside to the grill.
Usha
Delicious even though I had to omit the mustard powder due to not having it. It was a bit salty to my taste so I would decrease the salt a little next time.
Lou
On the grill with bone-in chicken breast, apply canola oil to grates. Use direct heat with cover closed - 4 minutes skin side, 10 minutes bone side.
Meg Greer
The next day, we used the blackened breast for chicken salad. In addition to mayonnaise, scallions and celery, I seasoned the chicken salad with 1 teaspoon curry powder, and folded in bite-size pieces of a whole ripe mango. Yummy.
Niko
The flavor of the blackened chicken is great, but it comes out dry this way. If you have the equipment, the best way to prepare blackened chicken that stays juicy is to sous vide whole (large) chicken breasts (do not slice them in half) to your desired temperature with some of the herbs and spices as desired. When done in the sous vide, wipe them dry and then cover with the blackening seasoning. Sear on each side for just long enough to char and blacken. Slice and serve immediately. Juicy.
Wendy
What is sous vide?
bob
Sous vide is a cooking technique that involves vacuum-sealing food in a bag and cooking it in a precisely regulated water bath. This low-temperature, long-time cooking method produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method.Once limited to the pros, sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) delivers restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. High-end restaurants have been using sous vide, which means "under vacuum" in French, to cook food to the exact level of donen
Lori R.
I sous vide in my steam oven without needing the whole vacuum bag arrangement.
lola
I love blackening. And it’s love that just proteins. I’ve blackened garlic, asparagus, eggplant, onions and peppers.
Lauren L
Super tasty and easy!
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