Blackened Chicken

Blackened Chicken is something I often order in restaurants and never realized how easy it is to make at home. It's also easy to customize it to your tastes! Here's a simple recipe you can use over a salad, with fettuccine alfredo, or any number of other ways! If you don't have some of these spices, just substitute what you do have, or leave them out. The most important parts are the salt, pepper, and butter and oil.

Blackened Chicken

4 average sized chicken breasts

1 1/2 T. salt

1 1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. black pepper

1 t. onion powder

1 t. cumin powder

1/4 t. ground cayenne (reduce or omit if you're afraid it will be too spicy)

1/2 t. paprika

1 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

Pound the chicken breasts until they're an even thickness, about 1/4-1/2 inch or so. Pat them dry with a paper towel on both sides. Combine all the spices. Rub the spice mixture hard into the chicken breast on top and bottom and both sides, covering all the surfaces. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a skillet. Wait till it's smokin' hot. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet for about 2 minutes, then turn to cook the other side for two minutes. Remove them to a baking dish and bake at 200C for about 10 minutes, or until juices run clear.