June 4, 2020

Blackened Chicken

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Along with being delicious, blackened chicken is also very healthy. It is fanatic and flavorful and also is a good source of protein atop salads.

The Cajun rub, which we are going to add to the Blackened chicken and the maison salad is going to add a next level taste to it.

Now let’s see how to prepare it!

Ingredients Required

For Cajun Dry Rub-

1 Table-spoon Sweet Paprika
1 T-spoon Dried Thyme
1 T-spoon Dried Oregano
1 T-spoon Garlic powder
1 T-spoon Onion Powder
1 T-spoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper.
1 T-spoon Kosher Salt
½ T-spoon Cayenne Pepper

Blackened Chicken-

2 Large Chicken Breasts
4 Tablespoons Melted Butter
Cajun Dry Rub

Lemon Vinaigrette Tossed With Spinach-

½ Lemon, Juiced( approx. 1 ½ Table-spoon)
1 Small Garlic Clove Minced and Pressed into a Paste
¼ Small Shallot Minced ( approx. ½ Table-spoon)
½ Table-spoon Honey(sugar-free alternative) add additional extra-virgin olive oil
½ T-spoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
¼ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces of baby Spinach

Salad de Maison-

1 cup silvered almonds
10 slices of Bacon
3 large romaine lettuce hearts, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cup croutons

For the Lemon dressing-

¾ cup light olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T-spoon Dijon Mustard
1 ½ T-spoon Honey
¾ T-spoon Salt
½ T-spoon freshly ground black pepper

Cajun Dry Rub Preparation:

Step 1-: In a small bowl, mix the sweet paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, coursely ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and the kosher salt.

Step 2-: Mix it well and set aside for use later.

Blackened Chicken Preparation:

Step 1-: On high power, in a microwave safe dish, melt the butter for about 30 seconds and then pour it in a small dish and set aside for use later.

Step 2-: Cut the Chicken Breasts on the plumper side with even thickness, for uniform cooking.

Step 3-: Heat the cast-iron-skillet on high heat for 5-6 minutes.

Step 4-: Pre-Heat the oven on 400 degree Fahrenheit.

Step 5-: When the cast-iron-skillet is heated properly and fully, dip one chicken piece in the melted butter first and then in the Cajun Dry Rub. Make sure you dip the chicken well on both the sides.

Step 6-: Now, place the price of chicken on the cast-iron-skillet and cook it for about 4 minutes.

Step 7-: After 4 minutes, with a fork or a tong, turn the chicken on another side and continue cooking that side for 4 minutes.

Step 8-: If the thickness of your chicken breast is more, you may need to cook it in a oven for additional 4-5 minutes in order to cook it thoroughly.

Step 9-: Use hot pads, and transfer the cast-iron-skillet to the oven.

Step 10-: When the chicken is cooked properly, remove it from the oven and from the cast-iron-skillet and place it onto a cutting board and let it rest for atleast dive minutes so that the juices are redistributed.

Note: If you rest the chicken over the hot cast-iron-skillet itself, then the chicken would continue to cook.

Lemon Vinaigrette Tossed With Spinach Preparation:

Step 1-: Mince the garlic clove and sprinkle it with Kosher Salt or Sea Salt. Now, using a knife, press it into a Paste .

Step 2-: Now, in a large bowl, combine the garlic paste, shallot, lemon juice, salt and honey.

Step 3-: Drizzle some olive oil in the mixture and start to combine it, slowly.

Step 4-: Now, add all the other left ingredients and add them in a mason jar with a lid, and shake well. Make sure all the ingredients are combined well.

Step 5-: If you want a more emulsified dressing, then blend all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender.

Salad de Maison Preparation:

For the dressing–

Step 1-: In a jar, add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon Mustard and honey. Add salt and pepper. Cover the jar with the lid and shake to blend.

Step 2-: Keep it in the refrigerator for use later.

To toast almonds–

Step 1-: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2-: On a small baking sheet, spread the almonds evenly.

Step 3-: Bake the almonds for about 6-10 minutes or until they become lightly golden brown. Toss them once halfway through the toasting process.

Step 4-: Remove the toasted almonds from the oven and set them aside to cool.

To cook the Bacon–

Step 1-: Increase the temperature of the preheated oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2-: Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil.

Step 3-: Place the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Step 4-: Bake the Bacon until it gets crispy and brown or for 15-18 minutes. (Baking time would vary according to the thickness of the bacon)

Step 5-: Once cooked well, transfe the bacon to a plate, lined with paper towels and let it cool.

Step 6-: Once the bacon is cooled, chop it into smaller pieces.

Salad Preparation–

Step 1:- Rinse the lettuce under cold water and run it through a salad spinner. Do it in batches so that the lettuce is dried well.

Step 2-: In a large serving bowl, add the lettuce, almonds, bacon pieces, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and the parmesan cheese.

Step 3-: Remove the already prepared dressing from the refrigerator. Shake it well and then pour the dressing over the salad. Toss the salad so that the dressing is mixed properly.

Step 4-: Add croutons to the salad and toss properly once again.