These Blackened Chicken Breasts guarantee juicy and incredibly flavorful chicken with minimal prep! Ready in under 30 minutes, it is made using a flavorful blend of pantry spices that yield big flavors - Bake in the oven or air fry!
Looking for a quick and easy dinner idea that’s ready in under 30 minutes? This blackened chicken checks all the boxes like the air fryer teriyaki chicken, buffalo chicken tenders or grilled chicken thighs recipe.
What is blackening seasoning made of? Blackened seasoning is a flavorful spice blend used primarily in Cajun and Creole cuisine, particularly popular in Louisiana. It's recognized for its robust and smoky taste, along with its unique deep and subtly charred appearance once it's cooked.
The primary ingredients in blackened seasoning usually include a combination of spices such as paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt and sometimes with a mix of oregano.
These spices create a balanced blend that adds depth and heat to any protein like in air fryer salmon recipe or chicken tikka kebab.
The key to achieving the blackened effect is to cook the chicken over high heat, causing the spices to create a flavorful crust on the surface of the breast.
What does blackened chicken mean? When blackened, the chicken is dredged in a combination of herbs and spices, before being cooked in a hot pan, grill, oven or air fryer.
The blackened chicken develops an almost black crust from the spice mixture used, which contains concentrated flavors from the spices, resulting in a burst of flavor with each bite. The slight char adds a smoky and caramelized note that enhances the overall taste.
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Why you'll love this?
- Just 5 minutes of prep.
- Flavorful blend of pantry spices.
- Tender and juicy both in oven and air fryer, like the baked chicken cutlets.
- Perfect as a main course or made into a plethora of dishes.
- The edges don’t dry out while cooking, as can sometimes happen with breasts.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Paprika - I use a combination of smoked and regular paprika. You can also use only regular or a mix of sweet paprika.
- Cumin - Cumin adds instant depth to any dish like in air fryer shrimp recipe.
- Cayenne - Ground cayenne pepper will give some heat to the spice mixture so if you really don’t like or can’t handle any spicy level, I would totally skip this ingredient.
- Common spices - Garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.
- Thyme - Adds warmth and earthy flavor with a subtle undertone of bitterness.
- Chicken - Breasts can range in size from 5oz to 10oz. This recipe is for large boneless skinless breasts sized 8 to 10 ounces.
- Olive oil - I use olive oil but feel free to use other neutral oils or even some melted butter in the blackened chicken recipe.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
- Add all spices along with salt into a small bowl and stir to combine.
1.Pat dry your chicken breasts until thoroughly dry with paper towels. Brush the olive oil on the top side.
Tip: Rubbing the chicken breasts with olive oil helps the seasonings to stick.
2. Sprinkle the seasoning mix to coat the breasts evenly.
Tip: Use as much or as little you'd like.
3 & 4. Flip chicken, brush olive oil and sprinkle seasoning.
How to cook in air fryer?
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F.
- Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer, ensuring that they don't overlap.
- Cook the chicken for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 9 to 12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Be sure not to overcook.
- Once the blackened chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Pro tip: The time to cook chicken breasts in the air fryer can depend on a number of factors, including the weight and thickness of the breasts, the cooking temperature, and the air fryer used. I air fry at a fairly higher temperature because it helps to sear the outside, sealing in the juices and also allow the spices get a char or "blacken".
How to cook in oven?
- Preheat oven to 425°F | 220°C
- Place prepared chicken in a square baking dish. Bake chicken for 16-20 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using a meat thermometer.
- Remove pan from oven, transfer blackened chicken to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tip: Optional step - Switch to broil during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, making sure to keep a close watch so the spices don't burn.
How to serve?
I love to serve this blackened chicken with healthy vegetable side dishes such as air fryer vegetable side dishes. It’s also delicious served with instant pot mashed potatoes and cream biscuits.
The blackened chicken breast is also perfect for slicing or chopping and adding to salads, sandwiches, tacos or quesadillas. Try it in the chicken rice bowl, or drizzle with some yogurt sauce.
Storage and Reheating
- In the fridge - Keep blackened chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- In the freezer - Freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container or zip lock bag for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat - Just microwave for a minute or two or reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees until warmed through.
Helpful tips
- Check for doneness a few minutes before cooking, by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part. Chicken should reach 165°F.
- Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Do not overcook.
- Pound the breasts to an even thickness before cooking. This tenderizes the meat and helps the chicken breasts to cook evenly.
Recipe FAQs
Cajun seasoning and blackened seasoning are spice blends associated with Louisiana cuisine and can be often used interchangeably.
Cajun seasoning features a mix of bold spices and tends to be spicier than blackened. In contrast, blackened seasoning is made for a cooking style called "blackening," by including paprika, black pepper and cayenne, which gives the fish or chicken a spicy and seared outer layer.
Although blackened dishes can often end up looking burnt, they aren’t. Due to the high heat used during the cooking process, the term "blackened" refers to the dark, flavorful charred crust that forms on the outside of the chicken. When done correctly, the crust should have a rich, smoky, and spicy flavor without actually tasting burnt.
Yes, blackened seasoning is typically spicy, due to the combination of the spices used, like paprika, cayenne pepper, and other hot spices. However, the level of spiciness can be adjusted based on your personal preferences for heat tolerance.
More spicy chicken recipes
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Blackened Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 chicken breasts, boness skinless 8 to 10 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add all spices along with salt into a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Pat dry your chicken breasts until thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Brush the olive oil on the top side and sprinkle the seasoning mix to coat the breasts evenly. Flip chicken, brush olive oil and sprinkle seasoning. Tip: Brushing the chicken breasts with olive oil helps the seasonings to stick.Pro tip: Use as much or as little seasoning you'd like.
Oven
- Preheat oven to 425°F | 220°C
- Place prepared chicken in a square baking dish. Bake chicken for 16-20 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using a meat thermometer. Tip: Optional step - Switch to broil during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, keeping a close watch so the spices don't burn.
- Remove pan from oven, transfer chicken to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F.
- Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer, ensuring that they don't overlap.
- Cook the chicken for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 9 to 12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Be sure not to overcook. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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heather (delicious not gorgeous)
yum! the combo of sweet, spicy chicken and creamy, crunchy slaw sounds so good (:
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Yum!! This chicken looks so juicy and full of barbecue flavor! I’m on the hunt for this sauce 🙂
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
This chicken looks so succulent and delicious. My son is a big fan of bbq chicken and is going to absolutely love this. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe Maria...definitely trying it out this weekend 🙂
Kim Lange
One of my faves when family come over! That sauce I need to get for sure! Thanks Maria!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
I don't know how I missed this one! I'll have to try it in the slow cooker because I don't have an instant pot. Looks so yummy!
Brenda
I’m absolutely in love with this recipe! It was so easy and delicious.for the slaw I used carrots instead of sweet potato, and used a little sriracha sauce to flavor the mayo. Sooooo good!
Maria Doss
So glad that you loved it, thank you hun:)