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This is one of those recipes I always make sure I have on hand. It’s endlessly versatile; sliced onto a bowl, folded into a wrap, tossed on a salad, or eaten straight off the cutting board as a snack. It holds up beautifully in the fridge for a few days, which makes it one of my favorite things to batch on a Sunday for meal prep. And on nights when dinner plans fall apart and you need something fast, having a batch of this already cooked means you’re 10 minutes away from a real meal instead of reaching for takeout!
If you’ve been following along on Wholesomelicious, you’ve probably noticed this chicken showing up in a lot of my bowls, salads, and wraps lately — and for good reason. It’s my go-to for adding a hit of protein without adding a lot of prep time. One skillet, one seasoning blend, and you’ve got a component you can build a dozen different meals around! As a nutritionist, I love having high protein options ready and prepped in my fridge to make hitting my protein goals even easier.
I make this often enough that I wanted to give it its own post — partly so I stop retyping the same instructions every time it shows up in a recipe, and partly because it genuinely deserves its own spotlight.
The Seasoning for Blackened Chicken
This recipe comes together with a simple spice blend and chicken. That’s it! What’s even easier is you can use store-bought Cajun seasoning in place of the homemade. I’ve been asked whether homemade seasoning blends are “worth it,” so let’s talk about it honestly.
The case for homemade: you control the sodium. Most store-bought Cajun blends list salt as the first or second ingredient, and if you’re watching sodium intake, or just don’t love how salty pre-made blends can taste, mixing your own gives you a lot more room to dial that back without sacrificing flavor.
The case for store-bought: it’s fast, consistent, and honestly, a good bottled Cajun blend does the job. If you’re making this on a Tuesday night and don’t want to pull out eight spice jars, there’s zero shame in reaching for the shelf.
How to Make Blackened Chicken
Once you’ve settled on your seasoning preference, the recipe couldn’t be easier! Here are the simple steps:
- If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even ¾-inch thickness so they cook evenly. Pat completely dry with paper towels: moisture is the enemy of a good char.
- Coat both sides generously with your seasoning, pressing it in so it adheres.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering — not smoking heavily.
- Lay the chicken in the skillet without crowding the pan. Sear undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until a deep, dark crust forms.
- Flip once. Add the butter if using, tilting the pan to baste. Cook another 5 minutes or so, until internal temp hits 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing! This ensures the chicken remains juicy.
Grill Option
Prefer to cook this outside? It works just as well on the grill, especially if you’re making the most of the last warm evenings of the season.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high (about 450–500°F).
- Oil the grates well, so the spice crust doesn’t tear or stick when you flip.
- Grill for about 6–8 minutes per side, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. Lean on a 165°F internal temperature to know when it’s done, since grill hot spots vary a lot.
- Keep an eye out for flare-ups. A spice crust is more prone to them than plain chicken, so if flames gets aggressive, shift the chicken to indirect heat for a minute or two.
- Rest 5 minutes before slicing, same as the stovetop version.
How I Use It!
My favorite part about this chicken is that it stores and re-heats so easily. Here are some of my favorite recipes to add it to:
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad
- Asian Slaw
- Mexican Slaw
- Quick Chopped Dill Pickle Salad
The Best Blackened Chicken for Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning*, (store-bought or homemade– see note below for homemade recipe)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat. Once hot, add the oil to coat the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chicken by patting completely dry with a paper towel. If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to 3/4 inch thick. Coat both sides of the chicken generously with the seasoning.
- Place the chicken in the skillet without crowding the pan. Sear undisturbed for 5 – 6 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Rest for 5 minutes before slicing to maintain the juiciness of the chicken.
Notes
- 1 tbsp paprika (smoked or regular)
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your own heat preference)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (can cut to 1/4 tsp for low sodium)
