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Blackened Chicken
Serves 4 Prep 10 min Cook 11 min Total 21 min Type Meal Origin Cajun

Blackened Chicken

Louisiana's blackened chicken: breast fillets dipped in melted butter.

Serves 4 Prep 10 minutes Cook 11 minutes Units Rate

Overview

The Cajun classic invented by Paul Prudhomme in his New Orleans kitchen in the 1980s, the dish that put smoky char on the American restaurant menu for a decade. You build a bold spice mixture (paprika, garlic, onion, thyme, cayenne, salt and black pepper), dip butterflied chicken breasts in melted butter and press them firmly into the spice rub on both sides. Then they hit a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet for about three minutes per side, where the butter and spices char into a deep mahogany crust that locks the juices in and gives the chicken its defining smoky finish. The technique works equally well on fish (Prudhomme's original was redfish), pork or beef. Eaten sliced over a salad, layered in a sandwich with remoulade, or alongside dirty rice as a proper Cajun plate.

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 11 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken & Cooking Fat

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Blackened Spice Mix

  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

Method

Stage 1 - Prepare Spice Mix

  1. In a small bowl, mix all the spice ingredients together thoroughly.
  2. Spread the spice mix on a large plate.

Stage 2 - Season the Chicken

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
  2. Coat the chicken breasts completely in the spice mix, pressing gently so the spices adhere.
  3. You can coat both sides or just the skin side, depending on preference.

Stage 3 - Sear on Stovetop

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Mix the oil and butter together in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  3. Once the butter is bubbling and foaming (but not smoking), carefully add the chicken breasts skin-side down.
  4. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the spice crust is blackened and charred.
  5. Turn the chicken and cook the other side for another 3-5 minutes until blackened.
  6. The chicken should develop a dark, almost burnt appearance, this is correct.

Stage 4 - Finish in Oven

  1. Transfer the seared chicken to a baking tray.
  2. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 75°C).
  3. Let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • The black crust: The high-heat searing creates a charred spice crust. Don't worry if it looks almost burnt, this is authentic to the dish.
  • Don't overcrowd: Cook only 2 chicken breasts at a time to maintain high pan heat and ensure proper blackening.
  • Protein alternatives: Fish fillets (especially salmon, mahi-mahi, or snapper) work beautifully with this spice mix. Reduce cooking time to 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Oil temperature: Keep the pan hot enough that the spices blacken quickly but not so hot that the butter burns. Medium-high is ideal.

Variations

Blackened fish: Use firm white fish fillets or salmon; reduce pan-searing to 2-3 minutes per side Extra spicy: Increase cayenne pepper to 1 teaspoon for more heat Milder version: Reduce salt to 1 ½ teaspoons and cayenne to ¼ teaspoon Dry rub ahead: Mix the spice blend in advance and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months

Serving

Serve with: Caesar salad, coleslaw, club sandwich filling, rice pilaf, or roasted vegetables. A squeeze of fresh lemon brightens the dish.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated
  • Can be frozen up to 1 month (reheat gently to avoid drying out)
  • Best enjoyed fresh for optimal crust texture

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Dirty Rice

Dirty Rice

A staple of the Cajun home kitchen, the rice dish that turns up alongside fried chicken at Sunday lunch or as a centre-of-the-plate dinner on a Wednesday. You blitz chicken livers to a fine paste (so they melt into the rice rather than appearing as recognisable pieces - the texture is the point), brown minced beef or pork hard for colour, then add the Cajun trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper to soften in the rendered fat. Cajun spice blooms in the heat, rice toasts in the same pan, stock pours in, and everything simmers covered until the rice is tender and has drunk up the cooking liquid. The result is grey-brown rice studded with meat and trinity. The "dirty" name describes the look (livers staining the grains) not the cleanliness. Eaten with hot sauce on the table and a wedge of cornbread on the side.

Cajun 1 hour 5 minutes Serves6