Blackened chicken is the perfect way to add a little spice to your dinner life! Enjoy this blackened chicken recipe over pasta, or alongside veggies or salads for a flavorful, healthy protein your family will love!
Today I’m spicing up your life in the best possible way. This easy blackened chicken recipe is seared on the stove top and then baked for a moist, delicious finish your family will crave!
I love bringing you easy, healthy chicken recipes that are loved by all. We eat a lot of chicken in this house! It’s an easy, healthful protein that serves beautifully with a variety of side dishes.
A few of my reader favorites are lemon chicken, easy baked chicken, piccata milanese, and so many more! I’ve also made a cajun chicken that is too flavorful for words!
Blackened chicken might scare some people off because it sounds spicy. But that doesn’t have to be the case at all!
If you’re afraid of too much spice, you can make this dish as hot as you’d like – and if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll love this recipe too!
Blackened chicken can be made on the grill, on your stove top, or even in the oven!
What is Blackened Chicken?
Originally, blackened chicken was created with a base of melted butter and covered in a coating of herbs and spices. This creates the dark brown (blackened) color that is traditionally considered the process of blackening.
While butter adds a delicious layer of extra flavor (and it’s included in this recipe), you can choose olive oil instead. If you’re looking to lighten up on calories, you can even use a cooking spray – it just depends on how light or rich you’d like for your blackened chicken recipe to be.
Why You’ll Love this Blackened Chicken
- Easy to Serve
- Low Carb
- Juicy
- So Flexible – Serve in a million different ways!
You’ll need a few basic spices for this blackened chicken recipe. Of course it’s completely flexible- add or omit based on personal preferences. We like it just a little spicy… not so spicy that it makes you sweat!
★★★★★
5 STAR REVIEW
“Yummy! What a great chicken dinner. My kids usually don’t like anything too spicy. This had just the right amount of kick to be delicious – without being overwhelming. It’s a winner every time! Thank you.”
—LISALIA—
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts –
- Butter –
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is what we tend to have on hand, but you can use whatever type of oil you’d like.
- Salt – Thick flakes, if possible
- Black Pepper – Fresh cracked
- Smoked Paprika – Dried
- Cayenne Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Thyme – Dried, leaf (or ground)
This blackened seasoning mix has only seven ingredients that are most likely already in your spice cabinet.
Variations
- Oil – Use olive oil, canola oil or melted butter to coat chicken.
- Seasonings – Substitute with your favorite blackening seasoning.
Tools to Use
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Or, a Grill Pan (Cook on stove top, in the oven, or on the grill!)
- Digital Meat Thermometer
How to Make Blackened Chicken
- Prep – Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and heat cast iron skillet over high.
- Coat your chicken breasts with melted butter or olive oil. Next, spread the blackened seasoning liberally on the chicken, coating both sides.
- Blacken – Add the chicken breasts into the hot pan. To form the blackened crust, cook the chicken for 30 seconds per side.
- Cook in the Oven – Now you’ll put the pan in the oven to finish cooking! This takes another 10 minutes, or until your chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the chicken to rest, tented with aluminum foil, to seal in the juices.
*You can cook this blackened chicken completely on the stove top. You’ll follow all the directions, but instead of throwing your pan into the oven to finish cooking, simply turn your burners to medium heat and allow the chicken to cook through.
Free Printable Meat Temperature Chart
Get the free printable Meat Temperature Chart to ensure your spiedini is cooked properly based on the cooking method and meat you select.
Tips
- This is one of the few times when I suggest dried herbs over fresh. Fresh herbs are much more likely to burn in this recipe – so stick with your favorite dried herbs!
- Cast iron works beautifully for this recipe because it helps create such a beautiful crust as you finish cooking, but you can use any kind of nonstick frying pan as well! (Most modern non-stick pans are safe in the oven up to 500 degrees.)
- Let the chicken rest, covered in aluminum foil, for five minutes before slicing. This helps seal in the juices, ensuring every bite is tender and moist!
- We love to serve this blackened chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo, but you can serve it with any of the options noted below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. While it may have been a spicy mixture when it began, now it’s whatever we want it to be! Most frequently, blackened seasoning mixes have more of a Cajun seasoning feel. You can add as much or as little spice as you want – just back off on the cayenne and black pepper if you are nervous about the heat.
Many nutritionists agree that chicken is a healthy part of a well-rounded diet rich in protein and nutrients.
It’s lower in saturated fat than red meats like beef and pork, and it’s one of the leanest animal proteins available.
It’s also a fast and easy way to get dinner on the table and it cooks faster than many other meats! You can cook chicken in just 15 minutes – what’s not to love?
Side Dishes for Chicken
You can go so many different directions with this chicken. It’s so flavorful that it creates a different dinner with any number of side dishes, and it works beautifully when added to salads or a bed of pasta.
- Try it with this Arugula Salad for a low carb, healthy and flavorful dinner full of spicy flair.
- Add it to a bed of simple pasta. Create your own egg noodles, or try it with this Cacio e Pepe.
- Serve this blackened chicken along any number of veggies. How about roasted baby carrots, brussels sprouts, or a variety of Italian vegetables?
- Try this blackened chicken combined with sauteed peppers in a chicken fajita bowl!
Blackened seasoning flavors also blend well with potatoes! Try my delicious caramelized shallot mashed potatoes, or my truffle french fries for a delicious side dish.
How to Store
- At Room Temperature – You can leave this chicken out while serving for up to two hours. Never leave chicken out at room temperature for more than two hours!
- Refrigerate – Store blackened chicken in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze – Freeze in an airtight container for up to six months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
When you’re ready to eat, heat in the microwave until warm (1-2 minutes) or reheat in a 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes to get a little crunch back.
What to Do with Leftovers
- Enjoy on Arugula Salad
- Make it into a Chicken Wrap
Dietary Considerations
- Dairy Free
- Nut Free
- Low Carb
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Blackened Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt thick flakes, if possible
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Heat a skillet over high approximately 5 minutes.
- Combine spices.
- Brush olive oil onto chicken breasts and generously season with spices, patting them on.
- Place chicken breasts in skillet 30 seconds to blacken then flip and blacken the other side 30 seconds.
- Transfer to the oven 10 minutes + until internal temperature reaches 165°.
- Transfer to covered serving dish and allow to rest 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
Julie’s Tips
- This is one of the few times when I suggest dried herbs over fresh.
- Cast iron works beautifully for this recipe because it helps create such a beautiful crust as you finish cooking, but you can use any kind of nonstick frying pan as well! (Most modern non-stick pans are safe in the oven up to 500 degrees.)
- Let the chicken rest, covered in aluminum foil, for five minutes before slicing. This helps seal in the juices, ensuring every bite is tender and moist!
- We love to serve this blackened chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo, but you can serve it any way you’d like.
Substitutions
- Oil – Use olive oil, canola oil or melted butter to coat chicken.
- Seasonings – Substitute with your favorite blackening seasoning.
To Store
Refrigerate – Store refrigerated sealed in an airtight container up to 3 days. Use leftovers in wraps, salads and more!Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this with the family.
This is my favorite over pasta! It’s got the right amount of kick without being too overpowering. Love it!
Thanks for this delicious chicken recipe! It was a perfect meal.
Yummy! What a great chicken dinner. My kids usually don’t like anything too spicy. This had just the right amount of kick to be delicious – without being overwhelming. It’s a winner every time! Thank you.
Your recipes are simply the best and the easiest. I am 77 years old and live alone. One of my 3 sisters comes often for dinner and any of your recipes can always be cut down or doubled easily. Sometimes two of them might show up for dinner and as always, not a problem. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Patti! I appreciate you sharing. I also added a slider to my recipe card to help you scale and print it out for the exact portion you’d like! Hope you have a beautiful weekend!