Awesome Blackened Chicken

I really need to learn how to photograph food.

This is cajun-ish.

The spicy seasoning mixed with sweet peppers is excellent. A rare case of inspiration after being lost in a grocery store for an hour or so.

It is easy to make and this makes enough for 2 with a little left over.

To blacken the chicken, a cast iron pan works best, but if you don’t have one a hot skillet works okay.

An excellent recipe for the seasoning is here.

1 1/2 lb chicken, chunked
1/2 white onion chunked
6 sweet mini peppers, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 lime juiced
2 tbsp blackened seasoning
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp ground habanero lime - optional
peanut oil

• At least an hour before cut the chicken into chunks, add to a bowl.
• Mix in enough oil to cooat the chicken.
• Mix in the lime juice.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour and no longer than 24 hours.
• Steam the peppers and carrots until soft, about 10 minutes.
• In a pot or rice cooker add the water, chicken broth, rice, and the optional habanero lime.
• If using a rice cooker, follow the directions for it.
• In a pot, bring it to a boil, cover tightly.
• Let it boil for about a minute, remove from heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
• On medium-high heat, heat the pan for about 5 minutes.
• Add about a tablespoon of peanut oil, let it heat up, about a minute
• Add the chicken mixture and sear all the sides.
• When it starts to blacken, reduce heat to medium and cook until done.
• Spray or brush on a little more oil and add the chunked onions.
• Cook, stirring until the onions soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add in the peppers and carrots, stir until heated.
• Serve over a bed of rice.

The ground habanero lime is just something I found at a store that I can not remember and is really great.

If you don’t have or don’t want to use peanut oil, any oil with a high smoke point will work. Oils such as grapeseed or avocado.

I like to put the chicken, oil, seasoning and juice into an airtight container and shake it.