Spicy and bold, blackened chicken elevates the humble chicken breast into a wonderfully flavorful dish. Simply rub with spices, sauté briefly, and bake!
This oven-baked blackened chicken recipe has become one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken breast. It’s very tasty, everyone around here loves it, and it’s also VERY easy to make.
A great way to add flavor to chicken
When I started eating a healthier diet, I ate a lot of chicken breast. I found a way to make juicy baked chicken breast, and I made it often. It’s easy, affordable, and convenient.
As time went by, my preferences changed. I now prefer juicier cuts of chicken, such as baked chicken thighs and oven-baked chicken wings.
Still, once in a while I buy chicken breast at the grocery store. Chicken breast can be boring, but when it’s blackened, it’s anything but!
Spicy and bold, this dish is delicious when hot, but leftovers are just as good when cold, sliced and served over mixed greens.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Lots of spices: Paprika, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Make sure they are fresh!
- Kosher salt: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Avocado oil: A good oil for high-temperature cooking.
How to make blackened chicken
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Start by mixing together the spices and salt.
- Coat the chicken with oil and sprinkle with the spices.
- Cook in a cast-iron skillet to blacken, then finish cooking in a 450°F oven, 10-12 minutes.
- Let rest before serving.
Is blackening healthy?
Blackening walks a fine line between “done” and “burned.” And charred, burned foods should not be consumed regularly or in large quantities.
In this particular recipe, we finish the chicken in the oven, so it doesn’t become very charred, as you can see in the photos. Still, I choose to only make this recipe about once a month.
How to serve blackened chicken?
With anything! It’s a very versatile main course. I often serve it with one of the following side dishes:
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days.
If you reheat them, do so very gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power. I prefer to use the leftovers cold, thinly sliced, as a salad topping the next day for my lunch. They’re excellent in this chicken cobb salad.
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Blackened Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 lb. raw weight)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the paprika, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and kosher salt.
- Brush the chicken breasts with the oil on both sides, then sprinkle both sides with the seasoning mixture, pressing with your fingers to help the coating adhere.
- Heat a well-seasoned, large cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken breasts. Cook 30 seconds on each side to blacken, then place the skillet in the oven to finish cooking, 10-12 minutes. Chicken is done when no longer pink in the center, when juices run clear when pierced with a fork, and when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove the blackened chicken breasts to a platter, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
