Blackened Chicken

Serving Size : 8
Categories : *Cajun Chicken

16 3 oz. skinless chicken breasts
***seasoning mix***
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
***other ingredients***
3/4 pound unsalted butter -- melted

Recipe calls for 16 (3-ounce) skinless boned chicken breasts, about 1/2 to
3/4 inch thick, or 8 (10-ounce) bone-in leg-thigh pieces, or a combination
of these. Skin the leg-thigh pieces, then bone each piece along the length
of the two bones, leaving meat in one piece. Trim off excess fat. Pound
each breast or leg-thigh fillet to 1/2 inch thick. Let the chicken come to
room temperature before blackening. Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix
ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high
heat until it is extremely hot and just short of the point at which you
see white ash or a white spot forming in the skillet bottom, about 8
minutes. The time will vary according to the intensity of the heat
source.) Heat the serving plates in a 250F oven. Just before cooking each
piece of chicken, dip it in the melted butter so that both sides are well
coated, then sprinkle each fillet evenly with the seasoning mix, using
about a rounded 1/2 teaspoon on each, and patting it in with your hands.
(If you lay the fillet on a plate or other surface to season it, be sure
the surface is warm so the butter won't congeal and stick to the surface
instead of to the meat. Wipe the surface clean after seasoning each
fillet.

Use any remaining seasoning mix in another recipe. Immediately place the
fillet skinned side down in the hot skillet, making sure all meat folds
are opened up and the meat is lying flat. Pour about 1 teaspoon butter on
the top of the fillet (be careful, as the butter may flame up). If you
cook more that 1 fillet at a time, place each fillet in the skillet before
buttering and seasoning another one. Cook uncovered over the same high
heat until the underside forms a crust, about 2 minutes. (The time will
vary according to the thickness of the fillets and the heat of the skillet
or fire; watch the meat and you'll see a white line coming up the side as
it cooks.) Turn the fillets over and pour about 1 teaspoon more melted
butter on top of each. Cook just until meat is cooked through, about 2
minutes more. Serve the chicken fillets crustier side up while piping hot.
Clean the skillet after cooking each batch and repeat the blackening
procedure with the remaining chicken fillets. To serve, place 2 breast
fillets or 1 leg-thigh fillet on each heated serving plate. If you use a
large serving platter, do not stack the fillets.

Paul Prudhomme warns, "Blackening should be done either outdoors or in a
commercial kitchen. The process creates an incredible amount of smoke that
will set off your own and your neighbors' smoke alarms. People with really
well-installed commercial hood vents at home have gotten away with
blackening in their own kitchens. They are privileged! Don't push your
luck."

>From The Prudhomme Family Cookbook

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 460 Calories; 36g Fat (71.1%
calories from fat); 32g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber;
172mg Cholesterol; 1693mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 1/2 Lean
Meat; 7 Fat.


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