How Long to Cook Blackened Chicken Breast (Boneless, Cajun / Prudhomme Style) in the cast iron
Specification: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (8–10 oz each), pounded to a uniform 3/4-inch thickness, dipped in 3 tbsp melted butter and coated heavily on both faces with 2 tbsp Cajun blackening spice (paprika, cayenne, garlic, thyme, oregano, black and white pepper)
3-Step Execution Protocol
Heat cast iron skillet over Screaming hot (550°F+ surface, pan smoking heavily) — do this with the vent hood on or outside on a grill side burner until lightly smoking. Prepare blackened chicken breast (boneless, cajun / prudhomme style) (2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (8–10 oz each), pounded to a uniform 3/4-inch thickness, dipped in 3 tbsp melted butter and coated heavily on both faces with 2 tbsp Cajun blackening spice (paprika, cayenne, garlic, thyme, oregano, black and white pepper)).
Cook for 6–8 mins (3–4 mins per side, one flip, no oil in the pan — the butter on the spice does the browning). Flip at the 4-minute mark for even browning.
The spice crust has gone from red to a matte charcoal-black on the peaks and mahogany in the valleys — not evenly black — and the breast has firmed to a springy resistance; a probe pushed sideways into the thickest part reads 160°F. Confirm internal temperature reaches 160°F (pull) → 165°F USDA-safe poultry target after 10-min rest. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
USDA FSIS 165°F poultry minimum internal temperature; pull-at-160°F-then-10-min-rest carryover pattern per ThermoWorks poultry technique guide (typical 5°F rise on a 3/4-inch pounded breast in a 550°F+ cast-iron pan). Original blackening technique (butter-dipped protein, dry pan, 500°F+ cast iron) codified in Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Louisiana Kitchen" (1984) and cross-referenced against Serious Eats "Blackened Fish" method (J. Kenji López-Alt) — the technique is spice-and-butter identical across proteins.