Paprika, salt, and garlic powder are the 3 key seasonings for this quick and easy blackened chicken.

This happens to be one of my go-to recipes when I'm craving a fast, protein-heavy meal. I have another version using eggs that cooks eve quicker than this recipe.

You can probably blacken the chicken using a grill, but I really like the results I get from a seasoned skillet. Just warm the skillet on a stove top and let the chicken sear until it starts to turn black on each side.

To build a meal from this recipe, I usually gather some chopped romaine lettuce and build a salad, along with avocado slices, pico de gallo, yogurt or cultured sour cream, and guacamole. Another option is to create a blackened chicken bowl (similar to this blackened salmon bowl). And sometimes I just eat it with some salsa or pico de gallo and some yogurt or cultured sour cream (as in the photos).