Lets up the heat with a dish that perfectly balances sweetness and spice: Sweet and Spicy Chicken Dinner for One. Juicy chicken dinner for one, pan-fried to golden perfection in a small cast iron skillet, caramelized with rich brown sugar and seasoned with a kick of garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
Other chicken dinners for one that are ready in around 30 minutes include this simple Thai basil chicken, brown sugar glazed pan fried ham steak and a creamy chicken divan casserole for one. Comfort food in every bite!
Simple Ingredients
- Chicken: I like to make this recipe using thin boneless skinless chicken breast because it cooks fast and stays juicy. If you make this recipe using a thicker bone-in chicken breast then you will need to cook the chicken longer. Make sure that the internal temperature reaches a minimum 165° F.
- Spices: My homemade blend is for my personal taste, you can adjust the spices as needed. If you want something hotter, then go ahead and increase the amount of Cayenne. Alternatively you can use a premixed Cajun blend.
Instructions
STEP One: Preheat a small 6 or 7-inch cast iron skillet over med-high heat. While the pan is heating up; In a shallow bowl mix the brown sugar, onion powder. garlic powder. black pepper, cayenne and olive oil until you have a grainy paste consistency.
STEP Two: Salt both sides of the chicken and use a small spatula to thoroughly coat both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.
STEP Three: Transfer the chicken to heated skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 °F. You may need to cook longer if using a thicker chicken breast.
Note: I’m using thin sliced chicken, that’s why it only take a few minutes to fully cook.
Recipe Notes
- You can increase the recipe to make as many servings as needed.
- Use thinner chicken to cook faster, boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders all cook up well.
- Opt for a premixed spice mix for even less time in the kitchen
- No cast iron skillet, no problem, you can make this recipe in just about any heavy skillet.
- No additional oil needed, the olive oil in the spice rub is enough to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan.
- Add a dollop of butter for even richer flavor.
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AWC Signature Sweet and Spicy Skillet Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper add more for extra heat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 shakes salt 2 on each side to pre-season
- 1 6-ounce chicken breast boneless and skinless
Instructions
- Preheat a small 6 or 7-inch cast iron skillet over med-high heat. While the pan is heating up; In a shallow bowl mix the brown sugar, onion powder. garlic powder. black pepper, cayenne and olive oil until you have a grainy paste consistency.
- Salt both sides of the chicken and use a small spatula to thoroughly coat both sides of the chicken with the spice rub.
- Transfer the chicken to heated skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. The internal temperature of the chicken should each 165°F. You may need to cook longer if using a thicker chicken breast.
- Serve over a bed of rice and drizzle the chicken with honey for extra sweetness.
Nutrition Disclaimer
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below is an estimate only and provided as a general guide only.
Nutrition
