If you’re craving juicy, golden chicken with perfectly crisp edges, this cast iron chicken breast recipe is the answer. It’s fast—ready in just 25 minutes—and made with only 3 simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. The skillet sear gives it that rich flavor and crispy texture you just can’t get from the oven alone. Once you try cooking chicken breast in a cast iron skillet, it might just become your go-to dinner solution!
Cooking chicken breast in a cast iron skillet isn’t just about convenience—it’s about flavor. The even heat distribution of cast iron gives you that gorgeous sear on the outside while keeping the inside tender and juicy. This technique works beautifully for boneless, skinless breasts and delivers consistent results every time. Plus, it’s a great method if you’re aiming to cook lean proteins without drying them out.
Once cooked, this chicken breast cast iron skillet recipe makes a great base for easy meals. Slice it for salads, tuck it into wraps, or add it to pasta or soup. It’s a simple way to prep ahead and make weeknight dinners a little easier.
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Why We Love This Chicken Breast in a Cast Iron Skillet
- Easy and quick!
5 minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking, and dinner is done! - Pairs well with practically everything.
We just use simple seasonings. This way, the skillet meat, tastes great with whatever you want to serve on the side. Steamed or roasted vegetables, cornbread recipe Bisquick, fluffy cheddar jalapeno biscuits recipe, potatoes, mac and cheese, short ribs with pappardelle, rice… So many possibilities!! - It’s a lean, healthy protein that fits into many different diets and dietary lifestyles. It’s gluten free, dairy free, keto, low fat, and low in calories too!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken breast: Use boneless breasts, so they cook quickly and evenly. It is a decent white meat substitute; the most important thing is to use poultry that is boneless and skinless. We also have great tips on cutting chicken breasts!
Prefer dark meat? If you like your poultry a little less lean, we have a recipe for cast iron skillet chicken. - Olive oil: Corn, sunflower, and avocado oil are all relatively flavorless, relatively healthy substitutions.
- Garlic salt: A mixture of garlic powder and regular salt is a good DIY seasoning blend. Ratio-wise, you’ll want roughly three parts salt to one part garlic.
Recipe Variations
- Lemon herb: Add a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary for a bright, aromatic twist.
- Garlic butter: Swap olive oil for melted butter and add minced garlic while searing to create a rich, savory flavor.
- Smoky paprika: Season breasts with a blend of paprika, onion powder, and kosher salt for a deep, smoky flavor that’s great for meal prep.
- BBQ: After searing both sides, brush the meat with your favorite BBQ sauce before transferring to the oven. This gives it a sticky-sweet glaze with minimal effort.
- Savory onion: Add sliced onions to the skillet before searing, letting them caramelize in the pan as the meat cooks. You can also season it with onion powder for extra depth.
- Simple seasoned meat: For a fuss-free version, season breasts with just kosher salt and black pepper, then top with a pat of butter before roasting for a golden, flavorful finish.
Does your family love skillet meals?
You can avoid washing a pile of dirty dishes by making your meals in one pan!
Start off your day with a hearty breakfast skillet of biscuits and turkey sausage gravy. Or, for an easy weeknight dinner, make our caprese chicken pasta!
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Cast iron skillet 11-12″ – or other large, oven-safe skillet
- Tongs
- Small bowl
- Instant-read meat thermometer
How to Make Chicken Breast Cast Iron Skillet Recipe
Making juicy, golden cast iron chicken is as easy as it gets—just follow these simple steps:
- Remove any excess moisture.
To start, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel on all sides. Not only does this help the seasoning stick, but it also helps to create a beautiful, even sear.
- Be sure the oil and pan are very hot.
A hot pan creates a good sear, which leads to juicy cast iron chicken breast! But you need the oil to be hot too. Otherwise, it will just soak into the poultry.
- Sear both sides
Carefully place the chicken into the hot skillet and sear for 5 minutes without moving. Flip and sear the other side for another 5 minutes until golden brown. - Leave the skillet uncovered.
Trapping moisture inside the pan causes the food to steam rather than sear. In the end, the chicken breasts will have an uneven texture and char.
- Rotate the pan.
Another thing that will help create perfectly cooked cast iron skillet chicken breast is to rotate the skillet one quarter turn every few minutes.
- Inspect the chicken breasts before flipping them over.
Finally, don’t flip all of the pieces in one go – examine each individually before flipping. Even if they are similar in size, there is no guarantee they will all cook at the same rate.
- Safety first – Check the internal temperature!
Do not skip this step! There is just too much risk of someone getting food poisoning from eating undercooked chicken. The only way to guarantee that the food is safe to eat is to use a digital food thermometer to test for doneness.
Cast iron skillet chicken breasts are safe to eat when the internal temperature at the thickest portion is 165°F. - Transfer to the oven
Move the skillet to a 425ºF preheated oven and roast for 10–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. - Rest before serving
Let the cast iron chicken breast rest for 5–10 minutes after baking so it stays juicy and flavorful.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Cut very large pieces in half
The measurements and timing for our cast iron chicken recipe are based on breasts that are 4-6 ounces each. Adjust the time appropriately for smaller cuts as well so that you don’t overcook them!
Keep an eye on the oil
When the oil reaches a good medium-high heat, it’ll start to shimmer. This is exactly what you need for shallow frying. It’s hot, but it’s not quite at its smoking point yet.
Let the chicken rest before serving
Let small cuts (8 ounces or less) rest for 5 minutes or so. Larger cuts will need to rest for up to 10 minutes. This is incredibly important to make sure all of that hard-earned flavor and juiciness doesn’t leak right back out of your cast iron skillet chicken breast!
Serving Suggestions
This chicken breast cast iron skillet recipe is a flavorful main dish that pairs beautifully with so many sides. Serve it with roasted vegetables like asparagus, carrots, or potatoes for a well-rounded meal, or spoon it over mashed potatoes or garlic butter rice for ultimate comfort food vibes. If you want something lighter, try a crisp green salad topped with feta and a splash of lemon vinaigrette. For dessert, a slice of peach cobbler pound cake or a bowl of lemon sorbet keeps the meal fresh and bright. To round it out, serve with iced tea, sparkling lemonade, or a chilled glass of white wine for an easy and satisfying dinner.
Recipe FAQs
When you cook in cast iron, the seasoning works as a natural anti-stick coating. A well-cared-for iron pan develops a layer of seasoning after each use. Without it, you will have trouble with food sticking.
In this cast iron skillet chicken breast recipe, we do both! The initial pan sear builds great texture and flavor, and secondary baking cooks the meat the rest of the way without losing any of the juices inside.
This skillet recipe makes enough for 4 servings, so it’s great for small families. Or, if you are a family of two, there will be leftovers to use later in the week!
If you shred the meat, this skillet chicken is fantastic in salads, wraps, pastas, and sandwiches! You can even use it to boost the protein in a bowl of soup. It would be delicious in potato soup or great northern bean soup.
Any leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container. Be sure to use them up within 5 days.
In the oven
Place the leftovers on a sheet pan, and cover the pan with foil. Place it in a preheated oven at 350°F. for 20 minutes or so, until your meal reaches that food-safe, internal temperature of 165°F.
In a cast iron pan
Another option is to put the leftovers back into your cast iron skillet. If you choose this method, you may need to add some water or broth to the pan, and definitely use a lid. You want that moisture to stay in the pan.
Here Are More Cast Iron Recipes To Love…
- Smoked Mac and Cheese with Bacon
- Spicy Rigatoni Pasta Recipe
- Bisquick Apple Cobbler
- Beefy Green Bean Casserole with Tater Tots
If you tried this cast iron chicken breast recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Cast Iron Chicken Breast
Equipment
- cast iron skillet 11-12" - or other large, oven-safe skillet
- tongs
- small bowl
- instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil *see notes
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 breasts, about 4-6 ounces each
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425ºF.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large cast iron skillet. Place skillet on stove burner over medium-high heat to preheat. **When ready, the oil should be shimmering, but not smoking.
- Meanwhile, use paper toweling to pat the chicken breasts dry.
- Add garlic salt and black pepper to a small bowl; stir to combine. Sprinkle seasonings generously on both sides of chicken.
- Place breasts in the skillet with hot oil. Do not cover pan with a lid, use a splatter screen to contain the oil (if needed). Cook the breasts, without moving them, for 5 minutes to give the exterior a golden sear. Once the first side is golden and crispy, use long tongs to turn the breasts over and repeat on the other side. *See Notes 4 and 5
- Transfer the cast iron skillet to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. Test the internal temperature of the center of the meat with an instant-read meat thermometer. Poultry should be cooked to 165ºF.
Notes
-
- Lemon herb cast iron chicken: Add a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary for a bright, aromatic twist.
-
- Garlic butter chicken: Swap olive oil for melted butter and add minced garlic while searing to create a rich, savory flavor.
-
- Smoky paprika chicken: Season chicken breasts with a blend of paprika, onion powder, and kosher salt for a deep, smoky flavor that’s great for meal prep.
-
- BBQ chicken skillet: After searing both sides, brush the chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce before transferring to the oven. This gives it a sticky-sweet glaze with minimal effort.
-
- Savory onion chicken: Add sliced onions to the skillet before searing, letting them caramelize in the pan as the chicken cooks. You can also season chicken with onion powder for extra depth.
-
- Simple seasoned chicken: For a fuss-free version, season chicken breasts with just kosher salt and black pepper, then top with a pat of butter before roasting for a golden, flavorful finish.
- Cut very large pieces in half
The measurements and timing for our cast iron chicken recipe are based on breasts that are 4-6 ounces each. Adjust the time appropriately for smaller cuts as well so that you don’t overcook them!
- Keep an eye on the oil
When the oil reaches a good medium-high heat, it’ll start to shimmer. This is exactly what you need for shallow frying. It’s hot, but it’s not quite at its smoking point yet.
- Let the chicken rest before serving
Let small cuts (8 ounces or less) rest for 5 minutes or so. Larger cuts will need to rest for up to 10 minutes. This is incredibly important to make sure all of that hard-earned flavor and juiciness doesn’t leak right back out of your cast iron skillet chicken breast!
- This skillet recipe makes enough for 4 servings, so it’s great for small families. Or, if you are a family of two, there will be leftovers to use later in the week!
- If you shred the meat, this skillet chicken is fantastic in salads, wraps, pastas, and sandwiches! You can even use it to boost the protein in a bowl of soup. It would be delicious in potato soup or great northern bean soup.
- Any leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container. Be sure to use them up within 5 days.
- Reheat in the oven – Place the leftovers on a sheet pan, and cover the pan with foil. Place it in a preheated oven at 350°F. for 20 minutes or so, until your meal reaches that food-safe, internal temperature of 165°F.
- Reheat in a cast iron pan – Another option is to put the leftovers back into your cast iron skillet. If you choose this method, you may need to add some water or broth to the pan, and definitely use a lid. You want that moisture to stay in the pan.
Nutrition
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Tayler says
I made this chicken for dinner last night and it turned out great! Juicy and perfectly cooked!
Paula says
Made these last night with Lima Beans and everyone loved the meal!