When making blackened chicken, begin by coating it with a Cajun spice blend that combines granulated garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (preferably smoked paprika), dried thyme, dried parsley, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Next, place the chicken in a hot skillet with cooking oil like grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or olive oil and sear it to create the blackened outer coating. This is my go-to recipe for making blackened chicken. If you do not want to make your spice blend from scratch, buy your favorite Cajun or blackening seasoning from the grocery store.