Blackened Chicken Breast-The absolutely most popular entrée of all of the New Orleans cuisine by far in my career. This even outsold my gumbo, which is pretty remarkable, given the amount of awards that it has won over the years! I suppose it's hard to deny the approachability inherent in a juicy chicken breast, coated in a flavorful spice blend, seared to perfection.
This Louisiana specialty has a broad appeal, and can be eaten as is, paired with any number of side dishes or sauces, in a bun as a sandwich, sliced on a salad or pasta.
I feel the need to clarify a few things about blackening, as there is an awful lot of bad information floating around about it, both as a seasoning blend, and cooking technique. Blackening does not mean burnt! I cannot emphasize that enough. The seasoning darkens during the searing process and gets a bit black, therefore the name. If it actually burns, it will taste bitter and acrid. Blackened foods should be somewhat spicy, but not "burn your face off" hot. It's a popular misconception that folks in Louisiana like their food burnt and spicy as hell, totally not true.
This recipe calls for my blackening spice blend, which I, of course, highly suggest. If you would like to use a retail variety, I promise it won't hurt my feelings, but I can't stand by the results unless it's Paul Prudhomme seasoning magic, since he created not only the blend, but also the entire style of cooking.
Equipment
- sauté pan, (or a skillet, either cast iron or as heavy duty as possible, so as to hold heat well)
- sheet pan
- aluminum foil, (optional, but it sure makes cleaning the sheet pan easier!)
- tongs
- probe thermometer
Ingredients
- chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- vegetable oil, (clarified butter, shortening, or even lard will work very well also, any fat that will handle very high heat without smoking and burning)
- blackening spice blend
- non stick pan spray
Instructions
Coating the chicken. Evenly and thoroughly coat the smooth side of the chicken, patting on with gentle pressure. allow it to sit for a couple of minutes to stick, and then lightly shake off excess. Make sure to follow these directions carefully.
Allow the pan to get very hot over high heat, then add oil. Swirl to coat evenly, allow to heat for 20 seconds or so, until almost smoking. If the pan and the oil are not hot enough, the seasoning will not adhere to the meat and instead stay in the oil and the surface of the pan. Notice how to safely lay them in the pan, making sure to gently allow the last bit to land facing away from you and your hand.
Allow to sear in the pan without moving or touching the breasts until the edges start to become opaque. This is vital, as to move or flip too soon will once again result in leaving the seasoning in the pan. Flip with tongs, and allow to sear on the other side for a few seconds.
Place the foil on the sheet pan, spray lightly with non-stick, and place the chicken, seasoned side up. Cook in a 350 degree oven until the center of the thickest part reads 165, approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the meat.
Blackened Chicken Breast
Equipment
- 1 skillet heavy bottomed, or cast iron
- 1 tongs
- 1 Sheet pan
- 1 aluminum foil sheet to cover sheet pan
- 1 probe thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 each boneless skinless chicken breast around 6 ounces each, one per serving
- 1 tbsp. blackening seasoning blend either made from recipe post, or Paul Prudhomme brand
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 each non stick pan spray
Instructions
- heat oven to 350 degrees
- line the surface of the sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with non stick
- season smooth side of chicken breast/s thoroughly and evenly, patting lightly to coat
- allow chicken breasts to sit for about 2 minutes to let seasoning "stick"
- in the meantime, heat skillet over high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes
- add oil to pan, allow to heat through until almost smoking, about 30 seconds
- carefully add chicken breasts to pan, seasoned side down, laying them in away from hand and body
- allow them to cook patiently, do not touch or attempt to flip them until the edges become opaque and you can see the fat seep out in white streams
- flip over, allow to sear on opposite side for another 30 seconds
- remove the chicken from the skillet with tongs, place on sheet pan
- cook in oven on middle rack until the thickest part reads 165℉ with the thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes
Robin
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