Cajun Blackened Chicken

Name: Cajun Blackened Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 tablespoons neutral oil; Flaky sea salt; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ½ teaspoon fine salt; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; Juice of 1 lemon; Small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped; Lemon wedges; Steamed rice or charred corn

June 9, 2026|HALO

Here's a cajun blackened chicken recipe built for an outdoor flat top griddle. Bold spice crust that chars hard against hot rolled steel, juicy interior, and a smoky heat that makes this the chicken recipe worth making on repeat.

Cajun Blackened Chicken

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

HALO

Servings

4 people

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Calories

331

Here's the cajun blackened chicken recipe for an outdoor flat top griddle. Bold spice crust, juicy interior, lemon butter finish. The chicken recipe worth making on repeat.

Cook Mode

Ingredients

Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons neutral oil
Flaky sea salt

Cajun Blackening Spice

2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon fine salt

Lemon Butter Finish

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

To Serve

Lemon wedges
Steamed rice or charred corn

Directions

If using chicken breasts, butterfly each one. Slice horizontally through the thickest part until it opens flat like a book. This creates an even thickness across the whole piece which is critical for flat top cooking. Uneven thickness means the thin end overcooks before the thick end is done. Thighs don't need butterflying, they're naturally more even and more forgiving.
Combine all blackening spice ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Coat each piece of chicken generously on both sides and press the spice into the surface rather than dusting it on. The spice needs full contact with the meat to form the crust properly. Set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature while the griddle heats.
Heat the Elite Griddle to medium-high on the primary cooking zone. Add a thin film of neutral oil and allow it to come fully to temperature. The surface needs to be hot enough that the spice crust chars immediately on contact. If heat is too low the spices stew rather than blacken and the crust never forms properly.
Place the chicken pieces on the griddle presentation side down. Do not move them. Leave completely alone for 4–5 minutes for breasts, 5–6 minutes for thighs. The crust is forming against the steel and any movement breaks it before it has set. The chicken is ready to flip when it releases naturally from the surface without resistance.
Flip once. The blackened side should be deeply dark; almost charred at the edges, fragrant, with a slightly crisp exterior. Season the cooked side with a small pinch of flaky salt. Cook for a further 4–5 minutes on the second side.
Check internal temperature. 74°C (165°F) for safe eating. Remove from the griddle and rest on a board for 3–4 minutes. The crust continues to set during the rest and the juices redistribute through the meat.
While the chicken rests add butter to a low zone of the griddle. Once melted add lemon juice and swirl to combine. Spoon over the rested chicken immediately before serving. Finish with fresh parsley and a wedge of lemon on the side.

Recipe Note

Chicken thighs are the better choice for this recipe. They have more fat, more flavor, and a significantly higher tolerance for the high heat required for blackening without drying out. Breasts work but require more attention to timing.
The blackened crust is supposed to be dark, almost alarmingly so the first time you make it. This is not burnt. The char on the spice crust is where most of the flavor lives. If the crust is pale and dry rather than dark and slightly crisp the griddle wasn't hot enough.
Make a double batch of the blackening spice and store in a jar. It keeps for months and works on shrimp, salmon, and steak with the same effect.
This recipe is part of the How to Cook Chicken on an Outdoor Griddle complete guide.