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More Tailgating Food!

September 9, 2011 by funnyloveblog 15 Comments

Blackened Chicken

You might remember from last week’s post that, until last Saturday, I’d never been tailgating.  I had, however, heard of the culinary lengths that people go to each week in preparation for a home game.  The stories were all true!

I actually made this chicken last week when my friends Adam and Cara came over for dinner, but it would be PERFECT at a tailgate or cookout – two things that are happening a lot this weekend with the fabulous weather we’ve been having!


s

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First, I made my own blackening spice using this recipe from Robert Irvine, who is a butthead on TV (and in real life, according to Jay), but is a really good cook, so I’m OK with it.  I altered it a bit because I thought the recipe he used 1. needed salt and 2. would be too spicy.  Here’s how I made mine:

  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper – more if you like things really spicy!
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 tablespoon seasoned salt (regular salt if you’re not into MSG)
In a very complex feat of culinary prowess, I dumped all of those things into a bowl and mixed them together.
s
 Impressive, huh?
          
Now, I pan-fried this chicken because, as you know, I don’t have a dang grill.  You could DEFINITELY grill this to enhance the blackened flavor, or cut the chicken into small bites like I do when I make Greek Chicken Bites, grill it ahead of time, and serve it with toothpicks at any event where bite-sized food is a requirement.
s
I used three large chicken breasts which I sliced in half crosswise to make six thin pieces of meat. The reason for this is that thicker pieces take longer to cook and the blackening seasoning is more likely to burn, which isn’t too tasty.  Also, the meat cooks faster if it’s thinner!
Now, this is important:  Before you season the chicken, WASH YOUR HANDS.  Why?  Because you might not use it all, and if chickeny hands have gone into the seasoning mixture you can’t save it and use it again.  And that’s wasteful and wasting is stupid because you BOUGHT THE SPICES so you may as well use them, right?
s
Don’t be stupid.
s
Once your hands are clean, sprinkle the seasoning all over one side of your chicken.
Then, using tongs, flip the pieces over and season side 2.
Don’t use too much – you’re not making a crust here.
s
If you can, let the chicken sit and meditate on its eminent searing for an hour or so.  If you don’t have that kind of time, heat up a big pan or grill with some olive oil to medium – not too hot, we want to cook the chicken all the way through without burning the spices.  When the grill or pan is hot, throw the chicken in – it should sizzle!
Let the chicken cook on the first side for 5 minutes or so – until you can see white cooked meat around the edges.  Then flip it over.
Nom nom nom.  See how golden but not black the spices are?  That’s exactly what we’re looking for.  You might flip it over once more to finish cooking it through and be sure the sides are evenly brown – for breasts 1-inch thick you’ll need about 10 minutes of cooking time.  Make a little slit in your thickest piece of chicken to see if it’s cooked through – white and juicy is what we’re going for!
s
When I made this last week I sliced the chicken and served it on penne with vodka sauce, which we will discuss in detail soon.  It was very delicious, but this chicken would be SO good sliced over a salad or as a sandwich.
Ohhhh was it good.  Other recipes to pair with this chicken:
  • Bacon basil pasta
  • Israeli couscous
  • Tomato Basil Salad
This is easy, healthy, and goes great with everything.  Enjoy!
s
Lindsay

Filed Under: chicken, Food, Recipes Tagged With: blackened chicken, blackening spice, clemson, grilled chicken, healthy cooking, tailgate

Previous Post: « AmazeBalls
Next Post: A Healthy Side Dish »

Reader Interactions

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  1. A Healthy Side Dish « FunnyLove says:
    September 12, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    […] be soft with some blackened edges, and the garlic will be golden and sweet.  YES. Serve this with blackened chicken for a very healthy, flavorful meal.  You’ll love it, promise. s The end. Share […]

    Reply
  2. Penne With Vodka Sauce « FunnyLove says:
    September 16, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    […] a lean protein with their meal, this sweet, mild pasta sauce goes fabulously with spicy, smoky blackened chicken.  Embrace the duality of the […]

    Reply
  3. Fall Quinoa with Goat Cheese « FunnyLove says:
    October 4, 2011 at 1:57 PM

    […] served this with fish grilled with cooking spray and sprinkled with my blackening seasoning for a super healthy protein, but you could serve this with just a salad as a great, healthy […]

    Reply
  4. Mashed Potatoes « FunnyLove says:
    October 5, 2011 at 3:17 PM

    […] when she’s home from college I try my darndest to fatten her up.  We had these potatoes with blackened chicken last weekend, and I’m pretty sure she went back to school a few ounces […]

    Reply
  5. A Quick and Easy Side Dish « FunnyLove says:
    October 28, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    […] make what I call “steakhousy meals.”  Some sort of nice grilled or broiled meat like blackened chicken with bread, salad, some sort of starch, and veggie.  It’s fun and more affordable than going […]

    Reply
  6. No Recipe Needed: A No-fail Dinner « FunnyLove says:
    November 9, 2011 at 1:40 PM

    […] Blackening Seasoning – keep a jar on hand or make your own – it lasts forever! […]

    Reply
  7. Pasta with Prosciutto-Sage Cream Sauce « FunnyLove says:
    November 17, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    […] more pine nuts.  The last time I made this I served it with grilled fish dusted with some of my blackening seasoning, and it was a perfect fast, comforting meal.  Enjoy this one, […]

    Reply
  8. Health Kick – Low Sodium Alternatives « FunnyLove says:
    December 5, 2011 at 9:58 AM

    […] this variation on Blackened Chicken, click here to see my recipe for blackening seasoning.  Follow all the instructions, but leave the salt or […]

    Reply
  9. It’s a Meat-Free Month! « FunnyLove says:
    January 31, 2012 at 9:22 AM

    […] serve this with blackened fish – feel free to add that to your meal if you’d like some extra […]

    Reply
  10. Meal Planning – Light and Healthy « FunnyLove says:
    March 27, 2012 at 3:12 PM

    […] make your own (or use storebought) blackening seasoning and sear some chicken sprinkled with it.  Or fish, or steak, or whatever….you can’t go […]

    Reply
  11. Tuesday Dinner – Blackened Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing « FunnyLove says:
    April 10, 2012 at 11:58 AM

    […] make your own blackening seasoning – it’s so easy and you can keep it around […]

    Reply
  12. Healthy Cookout Plan « FunnyLove says:
    May 24, 2012 at 1:51 PM

    […] make a big batch of blackening seasoning and sprinkle it all over some white-meat chicken and skewered shrimp.  When you’re about […]

    Reply
  13. Patriotic Menu « FunnyLove says:
    July 3, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    […] some dang meat, but what you grill is up to you.  I’d recommend making a ton of your own blackening seasoning, then sprinkling it on anything that you’d like to […]

    Reply
  14. Smoked Chicken « FunnyLove says:
    September 17, 2012 at 12:15 PM

    […] seasoning – make your own here, or buy […]

    Reply
  15. Showdown Saturday Menu « FunnyLove says:
    November 24, 2012 at 12:47 PM

    […] made blackening seasoning, and later we’re gonna smoke some chicken legs. […]

    Reply

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family Hi! Thank you so much for being here. I'm Lindsay, and this is a blog about my life. I like to laugh a lot. Recipes, parenting, and mental health are all here, enjoy!
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