We are famous for our easy weeknight recipes and this is another one we know you’ll love! This Baked Blackened Chicken is a savory, little sweet, easy chicken recipe you’ll make over and over again. Our blackening seasoning has brown sugar in it, which is the perfect hint of subtle, plus the smoked paprika for smokey, sweetness you’ll love!

Baked Blackened Chicken

Blackening is a technique that uses a blend of herbs and spices to form a crust on a piece of meat (fish, chicken, etc). The spices and herbs turn a dark color when cooked, resulting in a black-ish crust of seasoning. It doesn’t necessarily need to be spicy, you can make it as you please by adding more or less pepper, and chili powder. If you like it really spicy, you can even add crushed red pepper flakes. We like ours a little sweet and find the addition of brown sugar really makes for the perfect blackening blend!

Check out our Blackened Salmon recipe here!

Blackening Seasoning Recipe

Paprika
- You can use smoked, or regular, but we really prefer smoked for the best flavor. Here a link to is our favorite smoked paprika.
Chili Powder
- Add some cayenne if you eat it spicy!
Brown Sugar
- We prefer ours to be a little sweet. The sweetness really compliments the savory and salty notes. Use less sugar if desired.
Powdered Garlic
Powdered Onion
Dried Oregano
Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
- You can use ground, but fresh cracked is best.
Optional: Red Pepper Flakes for added spiciness.

drizzling olive oil on chicken breasts on sheet pan

sprinkling blackening seasoning on chicken

Prepping Chicken for Seasoning

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. I really recommend using parchment over foil for this recipe because of the brown sugar in the seasoning (it can stick to foil). Next, drizzle olive oil over the chicken, and using clean hands, massage it into the chicken. Then coat each chicken in seasoning, and use your hands to ensure the chicken is fully coated.

If touching raw chicken bothers you, you can do this process in a giant ziplock bag. Simply add the chicken to the bag, with the olive oil and blackening seasoning, and rough it around until it’s fully coated.

Read all about raw chicken safety here!

Baking Perfectly Cooked Chicken Breasts

Boneless skinless chicken breasts baked in the oven are a home cook staple. We probably eat them 3-4 times a week in my house and the other nights, we’re eating the leftovers!

A few tips for perfectly baked chicken:

Cook it at a higher temperature. 400 is perfect. This helps the chicken rise to cooking temp faster, resulting in juicier chicken.
Cook the chicken breasts for about 18-20 minutes.
Chicken breasts are fully cooked once they reach 165 degrees fahrenheit.
Use an electronic meat thermometer for the most accurate reading. This one is less than $10 on Amazon!
Consistency is key. If you have chicken breasts that really vary in thickness. pound them to get them to a similar height.

Serving Blackened Chicken Breasts

Once the chicken is baked and reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit at its thickest point, allow for it to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. This lets the juices reabsorb into the breasts, resulting in tender, moist, chicken.
Slice the chicken on a cutting board with a juice groove and you’re ready to eat dinner! How easy was that?

Side Dishes that Pair with Chicken Breasts

We are big fans of chicken and rice around here, but sometimes you need a little something different. Here’s our favorite pairings with seasoned chicken breasts!

What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula,while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!

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Enjoy! Kathi and Rachel