Blackened Chicken | One of The Best Healthy Chicken Recipes

This blackened chicken recipe is one of the best healthy chicken recipes you'll make. It has a delicious blend of seasonings and spices that pair well with any dish & the chicken turns out so juicy and tender. Plus, it's super easy to make too! Just a few simple steps are all you need to follow to make some delicious blackened chicken!

The Best Blackened Chicken Recipe

Chicken breasts are one of the most versatile foods.

And there are so many ways to make them, it can be hard to pick one

Some chicken recipes are extravagant and involve a long process or complicated steps. 

But, this blackened chicken recipe is one of the easiest chicken recipes you can make. You only need a few simple spices to make the blackened seasoning, and the chicken is done in under 20 minutes.

So, I guess it's no surprise why it's become one of my go-to chicken recipes for lunch & dinner.

And, it meal preps fantastically too!

Seriously, all you have to do is pair the chicken with any of your favorite sides and some veggies, and you've got yourself a quick, easy, and delicious meal!

If you need something to pair it with, I suggest making this four cheese pasta or trenette al pesto to go with it. It truly is the best main course cuisine that you can eat with literally anything you want.

Ingredients 

As I mentioned, the only ingredients you will need for this blackened chicken recipe are a few spices and seasonings to make the blacked seasoning -along with the chicken breasts, of course. 

And the blackened seasoning uses some of the most common ingredients for cooking, so odds are you already have all of them on hand. 

That said, here's what you'll need to make grilled blackened chicken: 

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 tablespoon paprika 
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
• ½ teaspoon Italian herbs seasoning 
• ½ tablespoon onion powder 
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder 
•  ½ teaspoon salt 
• pinch of ground black pepper 
•  Lemon for garnish
• 2 tbsp olive oil for frying

Pretty common stuff, right?!

Now, I highly suggest you use all of the ingredients to make the blackened seasoning for the full flavor profile.

Oh, and this chicken is delicious on its own, but you can use it to make a blackened chicken salad with this spicy southwest salad recipe to create one heck of a meal!

Chicken To Use 

So, for this recipe, we are going to be using chicken breast to make blackened chicken. But you can also use chicken thighs or any other chicken that you prefer. Boneless skinless chicken thighs honestly go really well with the blackened seasoning.

That said, if your chicken breasts or chicken thighs are thicker, slice them horizontally to reduce the cooking time. Also, to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly, I suggest flattening the chicken breast to be all the same size.

To do this, place the chicken between two pieces of parchment paper, plastic wrap, or in a resealable bag. Then starting in the center, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet, and work your way to the outsides until the chicken is even in thickness.

Can You Use Frozen Chicken To Make Blackened Chicken

One way to always have this recipe as an option if you need a quick meal is to keep frozen chicken on hand. 

If you are using frozen chicken, there are two ways to go about thawing it. 

One way is to move the chicken from the freezer to the refrigerator. Then, allow up to 2 days for the chicken to completely thaw, depending on how big a piece of chicken it is.

Also, another way to thaw the frozen chicken is in a bowl of cold water.  To do this, place the chicken in a leak-proof, zip loc bag to avoid any water from entering. Then, submerge the bag in the bowl of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. And the thawing process will take up to an hour per pound of chicken.

All that said, after the chicken thaws, it will remain safe for a day or so in the refrigerator - so cook it soon after you thaw it.

How To Make Blackened Chicken

So, to make our blackened chicken, we will be cooking it in a cast iron skillet. And cast-iron skillets can go from the stovetop right into the oven, making this recipe a seamless process. 

The combination of searing and baking is what gives the blackened chicken its unique flavor. 

That said, make sure you have an oven mitt on hand to move your skillet from the stovetop to the oven. The handle of the skillet will be just as hot as the surface.

Ok, now let's get cooking!

Step 1: Prep Work

First, you'll want to preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).

Then measure out the cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian herbs, and smoked paprika, mix all the spices in a small bowl, and set them aside.

Then, heat your cast iron skillet over high heat and add your olive oil to cover the surface of the skillet. 

Step 2: Season The Chicken

While the cast iron skillet is heating up, brush the chicken breasts lightly with olive oil on each side. 

Then, spoon the seasoning mixture evenly over one side of the chicken.

Press the chicken breasts with your hands to make sure the seasonings stick, then do the same thing to the other side. 

Step 3: Cook The Chicken

Now, once the cast iron skillet is smoking hot, add your chicken breasts. 

Cook each blackened chicken breast for about 1 minute on each side in the hot pan to prepare the blackened chicken breast. This will also ensure that the chicken will cook evenly in the oven.

Then, transfer the hot cast iron skillet into the heated oven to finish cooking for about 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). 

Now, once you have the cooked chicken, take it out of the oven, let the chicken rest so it can cool for a few minutes, and then garnish the cooked chicken with lemon and serve. And to make the blackened chicken spicy, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes on top and eat it with some mashed potatoes to cut the heat.

Air Fryer Blackened Chicken

Ok, so making the best blackened chicken recipe in an air fryer is just as easy - if not easier - than making it in a skillet & oven.

So, to make this recipe in your air fryer you'll want to preheat it to 360°F (175°C) for 5 minutes. 

Then, while the air fryer is preheating, you'll want to follow the same steps above to season your chicken breasts. 

Now, once the air fryer is heated and your chicken breasts are seasoned, place your blackened chicken breast in the air fryer basket, and cook them on each side for 10 minutes apiece.

How To Store Blackened Chicken

Ok, so you made the best blackened chicken ever, you ate it, you loved it, and now you have some leftover and need to store it.

Well, after the chicken is cooked, you can store cooked chicken in the fridge in an airtight container - or sealable bag - for up to 4 days. 

And, if you want to store this chicken for longer, you can keep it in the freezer in an airtight container - or in a freezer-safe bag - for up to 4 months. 

How to reheat Blackened Chicken

Now, this blackened chicken is delicious cold, but you can definitely reheat it if you want to.

To reheat, just put the chicken back in a hot skillet over medium heat and warm it up for a few minutes until it's heated through. Or you can put the chicken in a baking dish and heat it up for about 10 minutes.

And if you're reheating the frozen chicken, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight first.

Wrapping It All Up

That is how to make blackened chicken that has a whole lot of flavor with simple ingredients.

Having a deliciously quick and easy chicken recipe is something every home cook should know. And this easy blackened chicken recipe is just that. 

It's so versatile and can pretty much be eaten with anything you want. And you can even cook it on the grill when the weather is warm for a different chicken breast experience. 

Anyway, I think this is the best blackened chicken recipe, and I hope you love it as much as I do.

And, as always, if you make it, I'd love to hear what you think about it in the comments below.

More Chicken Recipes

Now, this blackened chicken is one of the easiest chicken recipes you can make.

But these are right up there, and you should definitely give them a try:

• Marry me chicken
• Ranch chicken
• Chicken divan
• French onion chicken casserole
• Chicken cordon bleu casserole

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