QUICK AND EASY BLACKENED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Turn oven of 275°F.
• Place chicken breasts under plastic wrap and pound out evenly with a rolling pin (I use an empty champagne bottle- works like a charm).
• Place a cast iron or other sturdy frying pan on high heat. Let heat for about 5 or 6 minutes until VERY hot.
• Meanwhile coat both sides of chicken with melted butter (I like to use clarified) and sprinkle one fourth of the cayenne and blackening seasoning over the top side of your chicken.
• Place ONE chicken breast in the pan, seasoning side down. Place a sheet of tin foil over chicken breast and use either a heavy cast iron pot/pan or a pot filled with 5 lbs of rice to weigh down on the tin foil covered breast. Let sit and seer for 1 1/2 minutes being careful not to go over. Lift weight and tin foil. Sprinkle another fourth of cayenne and blackening seasoning on top of unseasoned side of breast. Flip breast over. Re-apply tin foil flipped raw/wet side up) and reapply weight for an additional 1 1/2 minutes to cook other side.
• Remove breast from the pan and place in the oven in a glass dish.
• Repeat with second breast. Once the second breast is done let it sit in the oven for about 10 minutes and it's ready to serve.
• Goes great in salads or with grilled veggies like zucchini and red bell peppers. Garlic mash potatoes are also a great paring. Pasta alfredo too!
• I use this same method with steaks and catfish.
• You can add hot sauce of your choice to melted butter if you REALLY like it spicy.