The Best Blackened Chicken

This blackened chicken recipe was a dish I came up with many years ago when I was looking for a new chicken recipe that had lots of flavor, was not difficult, and that everyone would love. I wanted an easy chicken recipe that I could serve to my family for a quick weeknight meal and also serve to guests when they visited.

This blackened chicken recipe checks off all those boxes and it has become a family (and guest) favorite for years. This chicken recipe is smokey and deep flavored and goes so well with so many side dishes.

The blackened chicken seasoning in the recipe is a blackened dry rub meaning you mix the spices together and press the chicken into it before cooking.

One of my favorite things about this blackened chicken is since it cooks in olive oil on the stovetop, the blackened spices blend together with the oil when cooking and it produces the most delicious spiced olive oil to drizzle over the chicken before serving and to drizzle over any sides that you are serving with it.

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken breasts. I prefer chicken breasts when making this recipe but you could also use chicken thighs.
• Olive oil. Any olive oil will work well. You do not need extra virgin olive oil.
• Blackened Chicken Seasoning: Paprika, Chili Powder, Cayenne pepper (the amount used in the recipe won't be too spicy. You can add more cayenne pepper if you want it spicy), kosher salt. This is the same mix I use with my blackened tuna and it is delicious!

There are not many ingredients needed for this easy blackened chicken recipe but I promise the flavor is out of this World. I always get great feedback whenever I make this recipe and I make it a lot.

How To Make Blackened Chicken

• Step 1: Mix all of your blackened chicken seasoning spices on a plate making sure it is mixed well.
• Step 2: Take your butterflied chicken breasts and place it in your dry rub making sure to coat all the chicken on both sides.
• Step 3: Cook your chicken in a hot pan with some olive oil until browned on both sides.

Serving Suggestions

I really love serving fluffy rice with it because the rice soaks up that blackened flavor so well. I also love to serve it with my sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon or my Chopped Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing.

These lemony side dishes are best friends with blackened chicken because the lemon flavors in them complement the blackened chicken so well.

Tips

The dry rub does not take too much time to make but if you want to plan ahead, you can make the rub ahead of time and also butterfly your chicken ahead of time as well.

I do not recommend adding the dry rub to the chicken beforehand. Try to leave this step for right before you are ready to cook.

If you prefer to make blackened chicken tenders, chicken tenders will work really well with this recipe. If you do opt for using chicken tenders, you do not need to butterfly the meat since it is already thin.

Just press them into the dry rub and cook the same as you would the chicken breasts.

About the blackened seasoning in this recipe

Blackened seasoning is a mix of dried spices that are pressed onto meat before cooking. The spices blacken when cooked, giving it its name blackened seasoning.

Normally, blackened seasoning has oregano in it which I have never liked for this type of recipe. I do love oregano, just not in my blackened seasoning.

This blackened seasoning is not too spicy. It just has an incredible blackened flavor without too much heat.

More Chicken Recipes

If you like this blackened chicken, you may also like these:

• Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
• Chicken Fajitas Tacos
• Easy Fajitas From Leftovers
• Coconut Chicken with Hot Honey
• Southwest Chicken Bowls
• Sausage Jambalaya
• Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
• Chicken Tarragon