Name: Blackened Chicken Breasts (Quick & Easy)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts; 1 1/2 tablespoons blackened seasoning; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 lemon

Recipe

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This classic blackened chicken recipe is pan-seared and oven-finished for a meal that's loaded with flavor and super juicy!

Keep reading to learn all the hacks for cooking tender and delicious blackened chicken breasts every time.

three full blackened chicken breasts on a plate with a sliced blackened chicken breast

Blackened Chicken Recipe

Blackened chicken has become a favorite in my house to build incredible dinners, like my epic blackened chicken pasta. Today, we’ll focus on how to cook juicy blackened chicken breasts that you can use to make the most flavorful meals.

When you rub the meat with blackened seasoning and sear it in the pan, the seasoning gets slightly charred, giving it a crusty exterior and an amazing flavor. Then you finish cooking the chicken slowly in the oven, turning it out super-tender and juicy.

Does Blackened Mean Spicy?

Blackened food can be considered spicy when the seasoning includes cayenne pepper. When you make your own blackened seasoning, you can control how spicy you want it to be. Otherwise, the term “blackened” simply means charred on the outside.

Is Blackened Chicken Burnt?

Blackened chicken breasts are not burnt; only the spices and herbs of the blackened seasoning that coat the meat get slightly charred while cooking. The chicken looks dark, but the meat is not burnt.

Top left: spices in a bowl. Top right: blackening seasoning in a bowl. Bottom left: raw chicken breasts coated with blackening seasoning in a bowl. Bottom right: blackened chicken breasts cooked with a dark crust.

How to Make Blackened Chicken Breasts

Follow these steps to have these tasty chicken breasts for dinner in 20 minutes!

Rub the chicken with the seasoning. Make sure to pat the chicken dry first, so the seasoning sticks easily.
Pan-sear the chicken in a cast-iron skillet for about 4 minutes per side. Once done, squeeze half a lemon over the meat.
Bake directly in the cast iron pan for 10 to 15 minutes until the blackened chicken breasts’ internal temperature reaches 165F. Time will vary by the thickness of your chicken breast. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, check the notes in the recipe card.

Can You Blacken Chicken Without Baking?

Yes, you can make blackened chicken breasts without using the oven. Cook them in the skillet for about 7 minutes on each side. Cooking time may vary depending on the chicken’s thickness. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer: when it reaches 165F, the chicken is done.

closeup of blackened chicken breasts that have been sliced on a plate

Recipes using Blackened Chicken Breasts

You can serve these blackened chicken breasts with your favorite sides or make this delicious blackened chicken Alfredo. Leftovers are also great for enjoying a quick, nutritious, and tasty lunch, such as this blackened chicken salad or my epic chicken Cobb salad.

Blackened Chicken Breasts (Quick & Easy)

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

This classic blackened chicken recipe is pan-seared and oven-finished for a meal that's loaded with flavor and super juicy!

5 from 19 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
1 ½ tablespoons blackened seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 lemon

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat oven to 375F.
On a flat surface, pat dry the 4 chicken breasts. Rub/distribute the seasoning on both sides of the chicken breasts.

Sear the chicken:

Heat a cast iron skillet* over medium-high heat. Once hot, melt the butter. Place the chicken breasts on the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over, and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side.
Squeeze half a lemon into the pan and immediately transfer it into the preheated oven.

Oven finish:

Bake directly in the cast iron pan or oven safe pan for 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165F. Time will vary by the thickness of your chicken breast.
Remove the pan from the oven, assemble your sides, and serve.

Notes

Make blackened chicken breasts without using the oven by cooking them in the skillet or pan for about 7 minutes on each side. Cooking time may vary depending on the chicken’s thickness. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer: when it reaches 165F, the chicken is done.
Pans to use: traditionally, a cast iron pan because it’s heat induction and it’s oven safe. It can be coated with porcelain (a white coating) or not. You can also use a stainless steel or oven-safe pan instead.
Don’t have an oven-safe pan? No problem. Sear them in the pan, line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and finish cooking them in the baking pan/sheet or even a dish.