Ingredients
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4 (6-7 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts*
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1 1/2 tsp. paprika**
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1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
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1 tsp. dried oregano
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1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
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1/8 tsp. black pepper
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1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
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1 Tbsp. oil
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450°F.
- Optional Step: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.***
- Cut 1/4 inch deep slashes into the top of the chicken breast, about 1/2 inch apart.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Sprinkle the chicken generously on all sides with the spice mixture. Gently pat the spices onto the chicken to help them stick.
- Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add oil and heat until very hot. Add the chicken and cook chicken until the spices darken and a crust begins to form underneath, 3-4 minutes.
- Flip chicken pieces over. Transfer the skillet with chicken to the oven and bake until chicken is no longer pink inside and is cooked to 165°F, 7-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Immediately transfer chicken from skillet to a plate and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
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Notes
*If using boneless skinless chicken thighs, you’ll need 6 of them, unrolled as flat pieces. Don’t pound them thinner, but leave them as they are.
**If you have store-bought blackened seasoning, you’ll use 5 teaspoons of it in place of the paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. If you have store-bought or homemade Cajun seasoning, skip the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Instead, you will use 3 teaspoons of the Cajun seasoning mixed with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
***Chicken breasts tend to be of an uneven thickness with a thinner pointy end and a thicker rounded end. If you don’t pound them to an even thickness, the pointy end will end up overcooked and dry before the thicker end cooks through. So, for the juiciest chicken breasts, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin or flat mallet to pound them to between 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch.