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Blackened Chicken Breasts

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
author: Olivia Mesquita
course: Main Courses
cuisine: American
Blackened chicken breasts are anything but boring! Bold, juicy and coated with a crispy, flavorful crust. Made with McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cayenne Pepper, they can be slightly spicy or hot enough to make you breathe fire. Completely up to you!
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Ingredients  

Blackening Seasoning:

  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Oregano Leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Thyme Leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Basil Leaves
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cayenne Red Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Onion Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Coarse Grind Black Pepper

Chicken Breasts:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Remove the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle.
  • Combine all the blackening seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Reserve.
  • Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and brush them with the melted butter on both sides. Coat the chicken breasts with the reserved blackening seasoning, pressing to adhere.
  • Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until smoking hot. Add the oil and place the chicken breasts in the skillet.
  • Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown and blackened, then flip and cook the second side.
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook until the juices run clear or a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breasts reads 160 degrees F.
  • Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let the chicken breasts rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Size of the breasts

If your chicken breasts are huge, you might want to slice them lengthwise to produce two smaller pieces. Make sure all your breasts are uniform in size, so they cook at the same rate!

Internal Temperature

The USDA recommends that chicken breasts be cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF and that they stay at that temperature for at least 30 seconds.
However, I find that they get dry and stringy when cooked to that high of a temperature. Since time is another dimension of their recommendation, I cook mine to 155-160ºF and let them rest 5 to 10 minutes. That way I still maintain food safety without compromising juiciness.

Make ahead and leftovers

While chicken breasts are the juiciest when freshly cooked, they can be made ahead and used in several dishes. Keep your blackened chicken breasts in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing

You can freeze cooked blackened chicken for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 130mg, Sodium: 684mg, Potassium: 314mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 603IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2mg
Author: Olivia Mesquita
Course: Main Courses
Cuisine: American