Easy Blackened Chicken Recipe
Easy Blackened Chicken is a flavorful and spicy dish featuring boneless skinless chicken breasts coated in a robust blend of smoked paprika, cayenne, and herbs. It is quickly seared in a hot cast-iron skillet to achieve a charred crust, then finished in the oven for juicy, perfectly cooked chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 lb. each)
Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning herbs
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F to prepare for finishing the cooking of the chicken after searing.
- Mix seasonings: In a shallow dish, whisk together the smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Season chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Coat each breast on both sides with 2 tablespoons of canola oil, then thoroughly toss both sides in the seasoning mixture, pressing firmly with your fingers so the coating adheres well.
- Heat the skillet: Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and heat it until it is smoking hot, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and brush it evenly over the skillet surface.
- Sear the chicken: Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the hot skillet and sear for about 30 seconds on each side just to blacken the surface and develop a crust.
- Finish cooking in the oven: Transfer the skillet with the chicken to the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The meat should no longer be pink inside.
- Rest and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken breasts to a platter. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using a cast-iron skillet is key to achieving the blackened crust because it retains high heat well.
- Resting the chicken after cooking helps keep it juicy and tender.
- You can adjust the cayenne pepper amount to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Make sure chicken is fully cooked by checking for an internal temperature of 160°F to ensure food safety.
Keywords: blackened chicken, spicy chicken recipe, cast iron chicken, easy chicken dinner, paprika chicken
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