Blackened Chicken
Published June 17, 2023 • Updated March 8, 2026
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This blackened chicken gets its bold flavor from a homemade Cajun spice blend seared fast in a screaming hot cast iron skillet. I make this at least once a week because it's naturally low carb, goes from raw to perfectly charred in under 15 minutes, and works with everything from salads to tacos.
I started making this back when I first went keto in 2012, and it’s still one of the recipes I come back to the most. A thick coat of Cajun spices pressed into thin chicken breast, then seared hard in a hot skillet until the outside chars and the inside stays juicy. That’s it. No complicated technique, no long ingredient list.
What is blackened chicken?
Blackening is a Cajun cooking technique where you coat a protein in a heavy spice mixture, then sear it in a ripping hot pan until the spices char. Not burn. There’s a difference. The fat from the cooking oil bonds with the spices at high heat, creating this dark, smoky crust that looks intense but tastes incredible.
I use a homemade blend of smoked paprika, salt, cumin, thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne. I always reach for smoked paprika over regular because it doubles down on that smoky depth. The cayenne gives it heat, but you control how much (or skip it entirely).
The key move is butterflying the chicken breasts so they’re thin and even. Thin chicken means fast, even cooking and more surface area for that Cajun crust. I sear each piece for about a minute per side in my cast iron, then transfer to a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes. The oven finish is what keeps the chicken tender without overcooking it on the stovetop. I’ve also done this with thighs, and they’re more forgiving because of the extra fat content. Same technique, just pound them to even thickness first.
The same spice blend works on other proteins too. I use it on shrimp (about 90 seconds per side, pull right when they curl) and on salmon fillets with a slightly lower oven temp. I keep a jar of this in my spice cabinet so I can grab it whenever I need a fast keto dinner. If you’re looking for another crispy-coated chicken recipe, my chicken katsu takes a completely different approach but hits that same craving.
This is one of those recipes I lean on for weeknight dinners because it pairs with practically anything. I tuck it into cheese taco shells, serve it alongside garlic butter shrimp for a surf-and-turf plate, or chop it over a creamy Alfredo with low carb noodles. The charred spice crust against a rich cream sauce is a combination I keep going back to. Loaded with 36g of protein per serving, it fits without any modifications. And leftovers reheat well for meal prep throughout the week, which is how I usually use it.
How to make blackened chicken
I keep this method simple on purpose. The whole thing comes down to three moves: season, sear, oven finish.
- Make the Cajun spice blend – Combine smoked paprika, salt, ground cumin, dried thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
- Butterfly and prep the chicken – Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create two thin, even pieces. Pat them dry (this matters for the crust), then spray both sides with a high smoke point cooking oil so the spices grip the surface.
- Sear in a screaming hot skillet – I use my cast iron, heated over high for a full 5 minutes before anything goes in. No oil in the pan. No butter. Just dry heat. Sear each piece for about a minute per side until you see that dark, charred crust forming.
- Finish in the oven – Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet (or keep it in the cast iron if it’s oven-safe) and bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes until internal temp hits 160 degrees. Let it rest 3 minutes before slicing.
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Ingredients
4 teaspoons smoked paprika -
1 tablespoon salt
-
1 teaspoon ground cumin
-
1 teaspoon dried thyme
-
1 teaspoon onion powder
-
1 teaspoon black pepper
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¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
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2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Mix blackening seasoning
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil on a baking tray (unless using a cast-iron skillet or oven-proof stainless steel skillet). Set aside. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, salt, cumin, thyme, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, if using
Heat the skillet
Heat a cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until piping hot or it starts to smoke. DO NOT add oil or butter to the skillet.
Cut chicken into thin, even pieces
Cut the chicken breast in half (like butterflying it) to create two thin slices of chicken breast. To do this, put your hand on the smooth side of the chicken breast to stabilize it as you cut. Using a sharp knife, start at the thick end of the breast, cut horizontally into the breast, running the knife parallel to the cutting board. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Coat chicken
Spray the chicken breasts on both sides with cooking oil. Transfer Cajun seasoning to a small plate. Working with one slice of chicken at a time, transfer to the plate to coat the seasoning on all sides of the chicken.
Blacken the chicken
Place chicken into the hot skillet leaving space in between each piece of chicken. (Don’t overcrowd the skillet). Cook for 1 minute, flip and cook for a minute on the other side or until a charred crust has formed. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet or keep in the skillet if using cast iron or an ovenproof skillet.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the skillet is hot enough?
I wait until my cast iron starts to lightly smoke before adding the chicken. That usually takes about 5 minutes over high heat. With a stainless steel pan, I find it's ready in 3-4 minutes. If you flick a drop of water in and it evaporates instantly, you're good.
Can I use a non-stick pan instead of cast iron?
I wouldn't. Non-stick coatings can't handle the high heat you need for a proper char, and most manufacturers warn against using them above medium-high. I've tried it and the spices just sort of sat there instead of blackening. A cast iron skillet or stainless steel pan is what you want for this.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
I've made this with thighs and they work well. Thighs have more fat so they stay juicy even if you overcook them slightly. Just make sure they're pounded to an even thickness so they sear uniformly. I've also done this with chicken tenderloins when I want a quicker cook, almost like tenders with a Cajun kick.
Can I use this seasoning on salmon or shrimp?
I use this blend on shrimp all the time. About 90 seconds per side in the same screaming hot pan, and pull them right when they curl (they go rubbery fast). For salmon, I press the seasoning into the flesh side, sear that side down first for 2 minutes, flip, and finish in the oven at 400 degrees for another 4-5 minutes. I've found salmon needs a slightly hotter oven than the chicken to get the center right.
Can I make the seasoning blend ahead of time?
I always have a jar of this in my spice cabinet. I make a triple or quadruple batch and store it in an airtight container. It keeps for months and saves me a step on busy weeknights. I use it on fish, pork chops, and shrimp too.
Can I make this in the air fryer?
I've tested this in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. It works, but the crust isn't the same. You get a dry-roasted char rather than the tight, seared bark you get from cast iron. The air fryer version is more convenient when I'm cooking a bigger batch and don't want to sear in rounds. I still prefer the skillet method when I have the time.
How do I reheat this without drying it out?
I slice the chicken before storing it, then reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth in the pan. The steam from the broth warms the chicken through without stripping the moisture out. Microwave works in a pinch (30 seconds at a time, covered), but I find the spice crust gets a little soft. The skillet method keeps that char intact.
What's the difference between blackened seasoning and Cajun seasoning?
They're close cousins. My blackened seasoning is specifically built to char at high heat, so I lean heavy on smoked paprika and keep the blend dry. Traditional Cajun seasoning can include garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley, and sometimes onion flakes that don't hold up as well at screaming-hot temperatures. I use my blackened blend when I'm searing hard and fast, and a standard Cajun blend when I'm doing a slower cook like a chicken noodle skillet or stew.
Made this last weekend and it tasted great, but my crust didn't get nearly as dark as yours in the photos. I heated my cast iron on high for a few minutes before adding the chicken. How do you tell when it's actually hot enough? Is there something to watch for, or do I just need to let it preheat longer?
Five minutes minimum over high, not just a few. Look for a thin haze rising off the surface. You can also flick a couple drops of water in - they should skitter and disappear almost instantly, not sizzle and sit. If they're bubbling around, it needs more time.
Swapped the cooking spray for a thin layer of ghee before it hit the cast iron and the char has so much more depth. The smoked paprika really blooms differently in the fat. Worth the extra step.
I've never cooked chicken over high heat like that before, and I kept thinking I was about to set off the smoke alarm. But the char that formed was exactly what the recipe promised, this dark spiced bark that held all the way through the plate. The smoked paprika really does something here, I could smell it the second the chicken hit the skillet. I bumped the cayenne a little because we like heat in this house and you could taste it in every bite of the crust. Threw it over a salad for a weeknight dinner and I was picking pieces off before I even sat down. This is going in the weekly rotation. One question though: have you tried this seasoning on shrimp? I feel like it'd work great but I'm not sure if the pan timing would need to change.
Yeah, shrimp works great with this blend. About 90 seconds per side in the same screaming hot pan. They go rubbery fast so pull them right when they curl.
Made this last weekend and the chicken tasted great but I couldn't get the outside as dark and charred as your photos. I heated my cast iron on high for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken, and I'm second-guessing whether that was long enough. I also probably cut my pieces a bit thicker than I should have, so I'm not sure which one mattered more. Is there a way to tell when the skillet is ready just by looking, or do you go by time? Really want to nail that crust next time.
Smoke is your cue. I wait for a light haze to start rising off the pan before I add anything. Five minutes is usually right but burners vary a lot. The thickness got you though - thicker cuts need more contact time to char, and most people pull them before they actually get there.