This bold and flavorful blackened chicken recipe brings a little Cajun heat and a perfectly charred crust. Cooked in a skillet and seared until the spices blacken, it’s fast, easy, and anything but boring.
Blackened chicken can be the main event or the perfect protein for sandwiches, salads, wraps, or pasta dishes! It’s packed with flavor, comes together in minutes, and it’s low-carb, keto, Paleo, and Whole30 compatible.
This is a recipe I’ve wanted to share for ages, but my husband wasn’t really on board. He’s from Louisiana and has always felt that blackened chicken is all people think of when they think of Cajun cuisine. He’d much rather people try Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice, Crawfish Étouffée, or Jambalaya.
Once I finally made and photographed this so-called “burnt chicken,” he was converted. He’d forgotten what real blackened chicken tasted like. Not dry or scorched, just juicy and boldly spiced with a smoky crust. It turns out, when done right, it’s delicious.
❓What is Blackened Chicken?
Blackened chicken is thinly sliced chicken breast, cooked hot and fast so the seasoning forms a dark, flavorful crust – not burnt, just deeply seared. The seasoning is similar to a classic Cajun spice mix, but with a little extra cayenne and a smoky kick from smoked paprika.
The secret? Use an oil with a high smoke point (like avocado oil), a hot skillet (cast iron is best), and let the chicken rest after cooking to lock in all those flavorful juices.
Fun Fact
The blackening method was made famous by Chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans, who used a hot cast iron skillet in place of a grill. It’s now a staple technique in Cajun cooking.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – Sliced horizontally into thin cutlets.
- Oil – Avocado oil is ideal for high heat, but olive, canola, or ghee will also work. Avoid butter, which burns too easily. Here’s a list of different oils and their smoke points.
Blackening Seasoning Ingredients
The spices that I use for this recipe are similar to my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe, with extra cayenne pepper added and smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika.
Exact quantities for the spice mix are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post:
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Cayenne Pepper – You can reduce the quantity of cayenne pepper if you don’t like heat.
- Dried Thyme
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
- Dried Oregano
Recipe Tip
For the best crust, use a heavy skillet like cast iron or stainless steel. Avoid thin pans – they heat too quickly and can burn the seasoning before the chicken cooks through.
How to Make Cajun Blackened Chicken
- Mix up the seasoning blend, then start heating up a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. (Pictures 1-2)
- Next, trim the chicken breasts to remove excess fat, then pat them dry with paper towels. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so you have two thin chicken breasts instead of one giant chicken breast. Repeat for all of your chicken.
- Coat the sliced chicken breasts with oil, then fully coat both sides with the seasoning blend. (Pictures 3-5)
- Add a small amount of oil to the pan, then once the oil is hot, lay the cutlets down in the pan. It should sizzle right away.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook the other side. Try to keep the chicken still to avoid “breaking” the crust. (I like to use a fish turner to flip the chicken.) It should release from the pan when it is ready to be flipped.
- When the crust is “blackened,” remove it from the pan and move it to a cutting board to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Check the cooked chicken with a meat thermometer to be sure that it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before serving. Then, slice it up and serve!
Variations and Substitutions
- Want it spicier? Add more cayenne. If you’re looking for more of a kick, increase the cayenne pepper to ¾-1 teaspoon.
- Try other proteins – This seasoning is great on shrimp, fish, steak, pork, fries, or veggies – just about anything you can think of!
- Swap cuts – Boneless chicken thighs or tenders work well too – just adjust the cooking time.
- Meal prep it – Double or triple the recipe for easy lunches or leftovers.
Helpful Tips
- Cut chicken breasts in half for quicker, more even cooking.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so the seasoning sticks better.
- Preheat your skillet until it’s hot enough to sizzle. Note, we want medium-high heat, not high-high heat, to avoid burning the chicken.
- Don’t flip too soon – let the crust form undisturbed. Try not to shuffle the chicken around in the pan or flip it too many times. If you move the chicken too much, the blackened crust can get stuck to the pan.
- Check the temp with a meat thermometer. 165°F is your goal. Dry chicken is THE WORST, so you don’t want to overcook your chicken! Most people who think they don’t like blackened chicken, don’t like it because it has been dry and overcooked when they have had it. If cooked perfectly, your chicken will be so juicy!
- Let the chicken rest before slicing to keep it juicy. Resist the urge to cut into that cooked chicken right away and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
How to Store Leftovers
Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For best results, eat the leftovers within five days.
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Easy Blackened Chicken
Ingredients
Blackened Chicken Seasoning Recipe
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper reduce the quantity of cayenne if you don't like heat (use ¾ – 1 teaspoon if you want HEAT)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk up until evenly mixed. (You can also use 2 tablespoons of leftover cajun seasoning if you have it from another recipe and add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.)1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast iron or other heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Slice the chicken in half lengthwise, to make two thinner chicken cutlets. (You should end up with four cutlets.)
- Coat all sides of the chicken with the remaining oil, then rub with the seasoning mixture.2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- Lay the chicken cutlets in the pan and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side. The chicken should sizzle as soon as it hits the pan.
- Cook the chicken until it is as "blackened" as you desire.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Slice & serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage
Once cooled, store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. For best results, eat the leftovers within 5 days.Recipe Tips
- Cut chicken breasts in half for quicker, more even cooking.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so the seasoning sticks better.
- Preheat your skillet until it’s hot enough to sizzle. Note, we want medium-high heat, not high-high heat, to avoid burning the chicken.
- Don’t flip too soon – let the crust form undisturbed. Try not to shuffle the chicken around in the pan or flip it too many times. If you move the chicken too much, the blackened crust can get stuck to the pan.
- Check the temp with a meat thermometer. 165°F is your goal. Dry chicken is THE WORST, so don’t overcook your chicken!
- Let the chicken rest before slicing to keep it juicy. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Special Equipment Needeed
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
Ways to Use Blackened Chicken
Blackened Chicken is one of the most versatile chicken recipes because you can do so many things with it:
- Blackened Chicken Salad – Make a chicken salad using diced blackened chicken instead of plain chicken. The mayo will cool down the heat a little, but it will be really flavorful!
- Green Salad Topped with Blackened Chicken – Top a bed of fresh greens and your favorite veggies with leftover chicken and build a flavorful salad.
- Blackened Chicken Sandwiches – Place a piece of leftover blackened chicken on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and your favorite sauce, and serve with a side of fries.
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo – Combine a delicious alfredo sauce with fettucine and sliced blackened chicken – dinner is ready.
What to Serve with Blackened Chicken
If you don’t want to mix it into another dish, serve the cooked chicken with cornbread, rice pilaf or smashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli or butter roasted carrots for an easy weeknight dinner!
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
The blackening technique was made popular by Chef Paul Prudhomme in New Orleans. He didn’t have a grill at his restaurant, so he used a hot cast-iron skillet to develop the charred crust on his proteins. He has since passed away, but his cooking techniques and recipes are very popular.
Blackened food is coated in a high smoke-point fat, like ghee or avocado oil, then coated with a mixture of spices, and then cooked in a cast-iron skillet until the coating becomes very dark. The protein is perfectly cooked inside and remains juicy, while the outside has a charred crust.
