Blackened chicken is about to be your new go-to main course. Juicy chicken coated in an amazing blend of spices, then seared in butter and finished off in the oven. It couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Never eat boring chicken again!
What Makes This Blackened Chicken Recipe So Good
- There is so much flavor in this blackened chicken recipe, it’ll blow your mind! The chicken breasts are coated in a blend of salt, pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, then pan-seared in a bath of melted butter, with a little bit of lemon on the side. Is your mouth watering yet?
- Blackened chicken goes with almost anything! Serve it up with grilled baked potatoes, loaded cauliflower salad, or Instant Pot broccoli. It’s also amazing on top of fettuccine with a little (or a lot of) alfredo sauce!
- It’s naturally low carb and keto-friendly, and it’s super easy to make it Whole30-compliant or paleo, too! Just swap the butter for ghee, and you’re good to go!
- Meal preppers, this is a great option for you! Leftover blackened chicken will keep up to 5 days if you refrigerate it in an airtight container, so it’s perfect to make ahead for easy lunches.
Key Ingredients for Blackened Chicken
Chicken Breasts – Easy, delicious, and versatile – what could be better? You can also use this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you’d like a fattier, juicier cut of chicken, or use it with salmon fillets for an incredible blackened salmon.
Spices – So one of the great things about this recipe is that you can adjust the kind of spices and the amounts of each you use so that you end up with your perfect seasoning blend. You can also control how much heat you get by adjusting how much of the mixture you use on your chicken breasts. The more heavily you coat the chicken, the hotter (but more flavorful) your blackened chicken will be!
Chef’s Tips
- When you’re pan-searing the chicken, don’t move it around in the pan, except to flip it over. You want to keep it still so it has time to develop that amazing crust on the outside.
- If you’re using particularly thick chicken breasts, slice them into cutlets first or pound them with a meat tenderizer to even them out. If your chicken is too thick, you run the risk of it drying out before it’s cooked through.
- The skillet needs to be completely hot before you add the chicken! A hot skillet is crucial for a good pan-sear and a beautiful blackened crust.
- If it’ll be a few minutes before you eat your blackened chicken, take it out of the oven when the internal temperature reads 160° Fahrenheit, and let it rest in the skillet. Chicken should be 165°F internally for safe food consumption, but the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests. If you take it out of the oven at 165°F and then let it sit, it may overcook.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Burgers with Chipotle Aioli
- Shredded Chicken Tacos
- The Best Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Whole30, Paleo, Instant Pot)
- Chicken Pesto Sandwich
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Blackened Chicken
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 1 pound
- 3 tablespoons butter
- lemon wedges optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Add all spices to small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Generously coat both sides of each chicken breast in spice mix.
- In cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat, then add chicken breasts to skillet.
- Sear chicken on one side for 5 to 6 minutes, then flip and sear an additional 5 minutes.
- Add lemon to skillet if desired, then place skillet in preheated oven. Bake chicken 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and serve hot.
Notes
- Any oven-safe skillet will work, but I recommend using a cast iron skillet for best results.
- This method can also be used for boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Make it Whole30/Paleo: Use ghee instead of butter and choose organic chicken breasts.
Nutrition
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Jasmine Comer is a food photographer and recipe developer from North Carolina. She grew up in the kitchen watching her mom cook all types of delicious meals. In 2016 she established Lively Meals, a food blog where she creates healthy recipes. This led to creating recipes for other blogs as well. In her free time she enjoys exploring new places and spending time in nature. Ultimately she’s grateful to be doing work she loves—cooking good food and sharing it with people.
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