Blackened chicken with green onion yogurt

Chicken second courses

Blackening was all the rage in the ’80s—largely thanks to Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen, which published a recipe for blackened redfish. The cheat sheet: a lot of butter and a lot of spices. Today, you can buy Prudhomme’s blackening blend—in a 24-ounce container, no less. Or, the Zatarain’s counterpart (beware if you avoid MSG). Or, you can make your own. This recipe yields about 3/4 cup, which will happily live in your pantry. It’s beloved by all seafood—think thin fillets like the redfish original, or broiled shrimp, or pan-seared scallops. Also great: vegetables, smash burgers, chicken. With the last, I like to pound breasts until thin to reduce cooking time. If any protein is in the pan too long, it’ll become too blackened.