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Home · Recipes · Cajun and Creole · Blackened Chicken Recipe

Published: May 31, 2024 by Kelly Anthony · 13 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Blackened Chicken Recipe

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Upgrade boring chicken dinners with this easy Blackened Chicken Recipe! This simple Louisiana chicken always turns out phenomenal, thanks to our Cajun spice blend and a fool-proof cooking method for juicy, tender chicken breasts. It takes less than 30 minutes and is absolutely delicious served with Cajun rice, stewed green beans, and house salad.

Blackened Chicken breast on a bed of green with lemon slices

Bonus Alert | Our blackened seasoning uses spices you probably have in your cabinet, and this chicken recipe is beyond easy to prepare: season the chicken, sear, and bake. And, if you're looking for more dinners to add to your recipe rotation, check out our chicken recipe archives!

Plate of Blackened Chicken with lemon slices and fresh greens

Table of Contents

  • Why This Recipe WORKS!
    • 5 Helpful Tips to Get Started
  • What is Blackened Chicken?
    • What's in Blackened Seasoning?
  • How Do You Make Blackened Chicken?
  • Chicken Recipes to TRY NEXT!

Why This Recipe WORKS!

There's nothing I despise more come mealtime than dry, boring chicken breasts. This recipe was designed for home cooks of any skill level to easily transform chicken into a juicy, Cajun masterpiece.

(If Cajun recipes are some of your family's favorites, you can't sleep on the classic red beans and rice or dirty rice!)

Blackened seasoning takes just minutes to make and is next-level delicious; just add spices to a bowl and mix, and our pan-to-oven cooking method is the secret to flawlessly cooked blackened chicken every single time.

5 Helpful Tips to Get Started

  • Remove the Chill | Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before searing. This promotes even cooking and prevents the meat from seizing up.
  • Remove Moisture | Pat the breasts dry before seasoning. This helps the oil and seasoning to stick.
  • Bake Time | Many factors can affect protein cooking times, one of which is the size of the breast. Temp the chicken prior to going in the oven. If after the pan sear the chicken breast reads 135°F or higher, bake for about 8 minutes. If 134°F or lower, bake longer—closer to 14 minutes.
  • Using a Thermometer | A meat thermometer will help you determine not only how long your chicken should cook in the oven but also when it is completely finished cooking and safe to eat.
  • Rest After Cooking | Allow the chicken to rest before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute in the breast, making for a juicier bite.
Slices of Blackened Chicken breast

These steps will save you from ever serving dry chicken again.

Quick and easy to make, this recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner entree or as a flavorful hit of protein atop just about any salad! This blackened chicken recipe is also versatile. You can get creative and top jambalaya pasta with it or Cajun chicken alfredo.

What is Blackened Chicken?

One of the most popular Cajun dishes may be shrimp and grits, but I'd be willing to bet blackened chicken is right up there with it. Blackened chicken is a popular Cajun dish in which chicken breasts are coated in blackened seasoning and pan-seared. The same method and seasoning are used for seasoning the shrimp for dishes like Cajun shrimp pasta!

Contrary to what many might believe, blackened food is not cooked until it's burnt; it's just well seasoned. Fun fact: The amount of red spice in the blend actually gives blackened food that deep, dark, black coloring.

What's in Blackened Seasoning?

A great blackened chicken recipe comes down to 2 simple things:  (1) a fool-proof cooking method and (2) the seasoning. We'll get to the cooking part later, but for now, let's focus on the seasoning. 

Spice chart for blackened seasoning

Blackening seasoning is spicy and smoky and adds a great deal of flavor to any type of protein it comes into contact with. We also use this spice blend for our blackened shrimp. The spice mix consists of:

  • 2 ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Smoked Paprika
  • 1 ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

If you want to bypass mixing your own blackened seasoning and opt for an easy(ier) button, store-bought Cajun seasoning mixes like Magic Seasoning or Zatarain’s are great, too.

How Do You Make Blackened Chicken?

Make the Blackened Seasoning | Add the spices and dried herbs to a small bowl and stir to combine. 

Blackened Chicken seasoning in a clear mixing bowl

Prep + Season | Pat the breasts dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and ensure a good sear. Then, drizzle them with oil and sprinkle the blackened seasoning over them. Rub it in to adhere, and don't worry if all of it doesn't stick.

Steps to pat, oil, and season Blackened Chicken Breast

This recipe only calls for oil, no butter. If you are a stickler, however, for the rules of Cajun cuisine, try using a half-and-half mixture of melted, unsalted butter and oil. This way, you'll get the flavor of the butter and high smoke point of the oil.

Pan-Sear the Chicken | Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet (or large fry pan) over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Sear each breast for 2 ½ to 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and sear 1 to 2 minutes more. Do not overcrowd the pan; sear in batches as needed. 

Blackened Chicken in a cast iron skillet

Finish in the Oven | If your pan is not large enough to house all of the chicken with a little space in between each breast, transfer it to a baking dish. Then, bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (or until the internal temperature registers 165°F).

Blackened Chicken cooking in a cast iron skillet with a digital thermometer testing its temperature

HOT TIP: As you can see, the pan does not cook the chicken all the way through. It needs to reach 165°F before it can be safely eaten. Starting on the stovetop helps you to lock in those spices, but finishing the cook in the oven esures the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Plate of sliced Blackened Chicken with lemon slices and fresh greens

Rest, Serve, + Enjoy! | Allow it to rest about 5 minutes before serving or slicing, and enjoy! 

Chicken Recipes to TRY NEXT!

  • Fried Chicken Breast
  • Stuffed Chicken Breast
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken
  • Monterey Chicken
Plate of Blackened Chicken with lemon slices and fresh greens
Print Recipe
4.44 from 23 votes

Blackened Chicken

Spice up dinnertime with Blackened Chicken! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts get a flavor makeover with homemade blackened seasoning and are cooked to tender, juicy perfection!
If you already have store-bought or Homemade Blackening Seasoning, feel free to sub that in place of the spices below. Use 2-3 tablespoons, depending on how salty the mix is.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: Blackened Chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
  • 2-½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1-¾ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1-½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 3 tablespoons canola or avocado oil (separated)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready a rimmed baking sheet.*
  • Add all of the spices to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle all of the blackened seasoning over the chicken breasts and rub all over to adhere. Don't worry if all of the seasoning doesn't stick to the breasts.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Sear each chicken breast for 2-½ to 3 minutes on the first side, then flip, and sear 1 to 2 minutes more. Do not overcrowd the pan; sear in batches if needed.
  • Transfer the chicken to the baking dish* and bake for 8-14 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to rest about 5 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

If you have an oven-safe pan large enough to house all 4 chicken breasts without overcrowding, feel free to use that instead of a baking dish in the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1151mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 593IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

  1. Lisalia says

    March 31, 2020 at 1:39 pm

    Yummy! My teen son was amazed. This is something we usually order at a restaurant! Great to have it at home. Easy to follow directions.

    Reply
  2. Linda says

    March 31, 2020 at 1:46 pm

    Anything blackened is always at the top of my list to order and making it at home with this recipe satisfied my craving. Plus, this was some of the best blackened chicken I've had! I love the idea of searing it then putting it in the oven. And it gives me time to prepare all the sides while it finishes cooking. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      March 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm

      That's awesome, Linda! Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  3. estelle says

    April 02, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    oooh that spice mix looks sooo good! I bet this would be great on a salad!

    Reply
  4. Anita says

    April 02, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    I totally need more recipes like these that use mainly dry spices during this quarantine time. Also, extra bonus points for being delicious. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jeannette says

    April 02, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    I just love the variety of spices you include in this recipe. I know it'll work a treat and make the chicken SUPER tasty! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Erika says

    April 02, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    This looks so mouthwatering. I can't wait to try this recipe. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Krissy Allori says

    April 02, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    Yummy! I love blackened chicken. Well, just about anything blackened. Such a good flavor with just a touch of heat. I'm adding this to my menu next week.

    Reply
  8. Alice says

    April 02, 2020 at 10:18 pm

    The spice mix is what dreams are made of 🙂 Pinning for later!

    Reply
  9. Sharon M Donovan says

    July 13, 2021 at 11:16 pm

    I am always making up my own dishes, today I was hungry for chicken, but prepared differently. Pulled up this recipe for blackened chicken. Looked good and I had everything in my fridge and pantry. Instead of chicken breasts, I used boneless chicken thighs. I must say this was delicious and the chicken was so moist. I also made homemade Alfredo sauce, pasta and an array of steamed veggies. Delicious.

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      July 17, 2021 at 5:46 pm

      Yum! That sounds delicious!

      Reply
  10. Kelly says

    June 01, 2024 at 12:52 pm

    This worked exactly as written, thanks!

    Reply
  11. SuzieT says

    October 10, 2024 at 2:15 am

    This was the best chicken I have ever had. I have never had blackened chicken before, but I wanted to make a blackened chicken Alfredo with mushrooms. Thanks so much for the recipe. It was great!

    Reply
4.44 from 23 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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