This grilled blackened chicken will put a little “Nawlins” in your mouth.
While this grilled blackened chicken may not be all that New Orleans has to offer, it’s one of our favorites around here.
Common in Cajun-style cooking, blackening was brought into national awareness by New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme. Blackening is achieved by completely coating a piece of meat with a blend of herbs and spices and then quickly searing it on a very hot surface. This method of cooking produces a spicy and slightly charred crust onto the flesh of the meat.
Typically, a cast iron skillet or griddle is used, our grilled blackened chicken recipe utilizes a grill. It’s a smoky proposition to blacken the chicken. Cooking it outside seems like the appropriate choice. Additionally, you may want to use a cast iron skillet on the grill, although we prefer to just sear it over a hot fire.
There’s a fine line between blackening and burning, but proper blackening isn’t that difficult to master. Give this grilled blackened chicken recipe a try. You’ll soon be the Ragin’ Cajun of the neighborhood.
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Where to Find a Great Cajun Spice BlendOur grilled blackened chicken recipe calls for a Cajun spice blend. McCormick’s is a great option. The best deal we’ve found is at Amazon. To learn more, click here. Of course, we prefer our homemade version. For the recipe, click here. |
- 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 4 Tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- olive oil
- Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Trim off any excess fat.
- Lightly coat all sides of chicken breasts with olive oil.
- Liberally sprinkle breasts with Cajun seasoning until fully coated.
- Prepare a grill for two-zone cooking.using high heat.
- If using a cast iron skillet or griddle, place on grill directly over fire and allow to heat to a high temperature.
- Once hot, place chicken breasts directly over fire or on skillet and sear for about 4-6 minutes per side or until spice blend begins to blacken and slightly char.
- Move chicken to cooler side of grill and check temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer.
- If chicken hasn't reached 165°F (75°C), close lid of grill and continue to cook, checking temperature every 5 minutes until desired temperature is achieved.
- Transfer chicken to a serving platter and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.
Handle hot skillet with caution. They become VERY hot! Use appropriate hot pads or oven mitts.
Do not set hot pan on other surfaces without proper protection from the heat of the hot skillet.
Recipe © 2016 Gary Glen | Photo © 2016 Gary Glen | All rights reserved
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