You ever have those nights when you kinda want to cook and kinda want to cut a few corners? Welp, that’s the kind of night I had when I came across a pack of refrigerated store bought ravioli. I know I wanted to add a bit of protein and spice it up, so I decided on my quick and delicious blacken chicken recipe. Simply yummy.
What is blackened chicken?
Blackened chicken is chicken that has been heavily coated in a Cajun style seasoning blend then seared over high heat. Blackened chicken has a bit of spicy kick to it but also contributes so many other flavors. Not only is blackened chicken amazing with pasta, it also tastes great in salad or as side entree. Great use of leftovers if you ask me.
Blackened chicken is super easy to make and ready in no time. All you have to do is butterfly skinless chicken breast, pat dry, lather with melted butter, then generously sprinkle with our kickin’ blackened seasoning blend. Once both sides of the chicken are seasoned, add to a lightly buttered skillet, and cook over high heat. Easy peasy.
Why does blackened chicken smoke?
Forewarning, stove-top blackened chicken may create lots of smoke. Essentially, you’re darkening or lightly burning the seasonings that coat the chicken over intense heat so that’s what causes the smoke. No worries, you’re not burning anything. It is just a part of the process. Although it may seem like a bit of a hassle now, the delicious end product you get will certainly be worth it!
Additional tips to make amazing blackened chicken:
The night before preparing my blackened chicken, I let my chicken brine in the refrigerator over night. I filled a large bowl with 4 cups cold water , 2 tbsp. salt, 2-3 sliced garlic cloves, ½ bunch of cilantro, ½ onion sliced, and 1 bay. I like to brine lean meats that I intend to cook over high heat to help retain moisture that might dry out during the cooking process. If you have the time, this is an amazing step to regularly include in your cooking process.
My favorite ways to eat blackened chicken:
- Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomato Ravioli (Trader Joe’s Brand), diced roma tomatoes, chopped arugula, shredded mozzarella, and sliced blackened chicken
- Loaded baked potato, steamed broccoli, and blackened chicken
- Atop a bed of fresh greens, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and shredded cheese
Best Wine to pair with blackened chicken?
A chilled glass of Riesling went perfectly with my spicy blackened chicken. The fruity flavors from the wine pleasantly soothed out the spices in my chicken so that they were noted but not overpowered.
Ingredients
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Main Ingredients
- Seasonings
Instructions
- Mix all seasonings in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside
- Cut each chicken breast in half then pat dry.
- Generously lather each chicken breast with melted butter.
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Sprinkle each side of the chicken breast with the dry seasoning mix. The chicken should be evenly covered with the seasoning mix.
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Heat skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-6, flip then cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the inside of the chicken is no longer pink.
- Serve warm. Enjoy.
This looks easy to cook, healthy and yummy. The brining method makes the meat more tasty, good thing that you have used that.Thank you for sharing the recipe.