Easy Grilled Blackened Chicken Recipe
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This grilled blackened chicken recipe is a delicious and flavorful dish that is made with tender chicken breasts seasoned with a spicy and savory seasoning and grilled to perfection. It’s perfect for a backyard barbecue or a quick and easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
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Chicken breast is a versatile and lean protein that can be easily grilled. When it is combined with blackening seasoning, which is a mix of herbs and bold spices it makes the chicken deliciously spicy and flavorful.
Unlike traditional blackened chicken which is made in a hot cast-iron skillet with butter or oil, this delicious blackened chicken is made on the grill coated with spices and brushed with a little bit of melted butter at the end. It’s an easy recipe with the same flavor and less mess.
Why you will love this easy recipe
- It’s an easy chicken recipe made with simple ingredients and can be made in under an hour.
- Grilled blackening vs. a cast iron skillet creates less mess and uses less fat than traditional blackening.
- It’s a flavorful versatile recipe that can be served as a main course or sliced and added to salads, sandwiches or pasta.
Here is what you will need
This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make this blackened chicken recipe and a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section.
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How to make this grilled blackened chicken recipe
Measure the seasoning blend, preheat your grill at medium-high heat. Melt the butter. Heat a gas grill at high heat.
STEP 1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and coat them with the seasoning blend.
STEP 2. Place the seasoned chicken pieces on the hot grill and grill for 1 to 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium if the grill is too hot, and cook for 5-6 minutes.
STEP 3. Flip the chicken over and use a pastry brush to brush on the butter on the cooked side. Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees f.
Tip! Try an Instant Read Thermometer from Thermoworks for perfectly cooked meat!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Chicken – I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to keep them moist, but chicken thighs or tenders are also viable options.
If you substitute chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs for chicken breasts, keep in mind that the cooking time may vary.
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Blackened Seasoning – I love to use my own homemade cajun seasoning, which closely resembles blackened spice.
If you’re short on time or ingredients, you can always opt for pre-made blackened seasoning found in your local grocery store.
Butter – Feel free to swap out the butter in this recipe with either olive oil or avocado oil.
How to store leftovers
Store leftover cooked chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Leftover blackened chicken breast tastes great in salads, sandwiches and wraps.
Serving suggestions
Serve this delicious blackened chicken with a side of air fryer potatoes, sauteed cauliflower, green beans or your favorite salad.
This chicken also tastes great topped with homemade salsa like this mango strawberry salsa, mango habanero salsa or cucumber and watermelon salsa.
How to use grilled blackened chicken breasts
Grilled blackened chicken is one of those versatile chicken recipes, here are some way to serve it.
Pasta – Blackened chicken is a great addition to pasta dishes. Slice the chicken breast up and serve it in your favorite pasta dish. Or keep it simple and toss it with pasta, olive oil, garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese and toss in some cooked broccoli.
Salad – Add blackened chicken slices to the top of a salad such as a Caesar salad, or simply toss it over a bed of fresh field greens, then finish it off with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar for a simple yet satisfying meal.
Sandwich or wrap -Transform an everyday sandwich by adding hummus, blackened chicken, lettuce, tomato, slices of avocado and onion for a flavor filled sandwich.
Quesadillas – Spice up your quesadillas and use blackened chicken instead of plain chicken.
Make ahead instructions
This is an easy recipe to make ahead of time. You can mix the seasoning blend earlier in the week.
You can also coat the chicken up to 2 hours before cooking it and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to cook, remove it from the refrigerator about 15 to 20 minutes before to bring it to room temperature.
Tips
- Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking it for even cooking.
- Don’t over cook the chicken. Use a meat thermometer and remove it from the grill once it reaches 165 degrees.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it.
These two spice blends are very similar. Some Cajun spice blends do not have paprika in them which is one of the key ingredients in blackened seasoning.
You can use previously frozen chicken that has been thawed. It is not recommended to use fully frozen to grill boneless chicken breasts.
If you don’t have a grill you can make this recipe on a grill pan. Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the blackening spice coated chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, flip and brush the chicken with the melted butter and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees f.
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Find process photos and variations in the blog post:
Grilled Blackened Chicken BreastsIngredients
- 1 Pound Boneless chicken breasts 3 breasts about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
- 2 teaspoons Blackened spice blend
- 1 tablespoon Butter melted
Instructions
- Coat 1 Pound Boneless chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons Blackened spice blend on both sides
- Heat a grill at medium – high heat (up to 400 degrees f)
- Place the chicken breasts onto the grill, and reduce the heat if needed. You want the grill hot, but not too hot that it burns the chicken.
- Cook the chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes, flip them over and brush with the melted butter.
- Grill for 5 to 6 minutes longer or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees f.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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