This cast iron skillet chicken breast recipe makes the juiciest and the best meat that goes along with any side dish. Well-seasoned chicken breast is seared and then, baked until golden brown in a cast iron pan.
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⭐Why this recipe is worthy
- versatile - serve it not only with any side dish but also in pasta, pizzas, salads, or soups.
- simple ingredients - organic chicken oil, salt, and spices are all you need.
- cooking method - cast iron cookware is one of the safest, least toxic, and most affordable. On top of that, cooking in cast iron can add some extra iron to your food.
🥘Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken Breasts: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs will work great too and they will cook much faster. For this recipe pick medium or small chicken breasts, preferably the same size for even cooking. If the chicken breasts you got are too large and thick, I recommend using them to make Baked Thin sliced Chicken Breast.
- Sunflower Oil: a little bit of sunflower oil for seasoning and searing the chicken. You can use avocado oil instead. Both have a high smoke point and are good for searing and frying.
- Salt: I used ½ teaspoon of salt in this recipe, which equals 1,150 mg of sodium. 383 mg of sodium per chicken breast is much less than any other recipe, especially at restaurants.
- Herbs and Spices: I used onion powder, garlic powder, dry oregano, paprika, and black pepper. Any Italian seasoning is great for this recipe. If you like spicy, add ½ teaspoon of chili powder.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients and Oven - Preheat the oven to 400° F. Take out the meat and use a paper towel to tap dry the chicken. Let the raw chicken rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, while making the chicken seasoning. In a small bowl, mix salt, garlic and onion powder, oregano, and paprika.
- Season Chicken Breast - Rub each side of the chicken breast with the spice mix and a little bit of oil. I used about 1 Tablespoon for all 3 breasts.
- Quick Pan Sear: Preheat the cast iron pan on medium-high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the remaining oil. Now, lay chicken breasts in a hot pan. Sear chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes. Do not move the chicken until it's time to flip it. This way the moisture will lock and the meat will not stick to the pan.
- Bake: Now, using oven gloves, place a cast-iron skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 19-25 minutes until no longer pink inside and the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165° F. It all depends on the size of the chicken. I always use a food thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked.
- Rest: Transfer cooked meat to the plate, cover with some foil and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Do not cover it in a pan, it will continue cooking and the meat will be tough.
⏲️Cooking times
After you sear the chicken on both sides for 3-4 minutes, bake it in a preheated to 400°F oven between 19-25 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts. As general guidance, follow this bake times depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Always check doneness by using a kitchen thermometer. The chicken is considered done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Small (4 oz) - 19 to 21 minutes
Medium (6 oz) - 21 to 23 minutes
Large (8 oz) - 23 - 25 minutes
🌡️How to store and reheat
- To store: when the chicken breast cools down, transfer any leftover to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: place the chicken on a microwave-safe dish and heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, flipping it halfway. You can also reheat it in the oven (350°F) for 10-15 minutes.
💭Recipe top tips
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking by letting it rest on a counter for 10-15 minutes.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- Use a meat thermometer for the best results.
- Preheat the pan well before searing.
- Once you place the chicken on a hot pan, do not touch it until it's time to flip.
🍴Serving suggestions
- Side dish: it goes well with any side dish. I often serve it with easy these sheet pan potatoes and broccoli. And if you are looking for some new or different, try this instant pot buckwheat.
- Salads: add sliced chicken to any of your salads to make it a healthy and light lunch.
- Pasta: add sliced chicken leftovers to any cooked pasta. Add some tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese on top.
- Soups: use it to make a homemade chicken noodle soup, by adding cooked cubed chicken breast at the very end.
- Pizza: great on homemade BBQ chicken pizza.
📋Frequently asked questions
Do I need to use oil to cook in a cast iron pan?
Yes, the oil will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan and will create a beautiful golden sear. Use a high smoke point oil, such as avocado or sunflower seed oil..
Should I pan-sear chicken before baking?
No, you can simply place the chicken on a cast iron skillet and bake it in the preheated oven until cooked. But for the juiciest meat, I recommend searing the meat on both sides to lock the moisture in.
Could I use different seasoning combinations on this chicken?
Yes, this recipe is offering the most basic seasoning mix. You can use any other store-bought or homemade seasoning.
🍲Other healthy chicken recipes
- Healthy chicken muffins
- How to boil whole chicken (for shredding and sipping broth)
- Air fryer chicken meatballs with veggies
- Marinated chicken drumsticks
📖 Recipe
Cast iron skillet chicken breast
This cast iron skillet chicken breast recipe makes the juiciest and the best meat that goes along with any side dish. Well-seasoned chicken breast is seared and then, baked until golden brown in a cast iron pan.
Equipment
- 1 Cast iron skillet
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 kitchen tongs
- 1 sheet of foil
Ingredients
- 3 medium size chicken breast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or more by taste
- 3 tablespoons sunflower or avocado oil or add more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Take out the chicken and let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. In a small bowl, add salt and garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika and black pepper.
- Rub the chicken on both sides generously with the seasoning mix and a Tablespoon of olive oil.
- Preheat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Now, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil. Carefully place chicken breast onto a hot pan. Sear 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden-brown.
- Place the cast iron pan in the oven and bake for 19-25 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer it to a plate. Cover the plate with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- bring raw chicken to room temperature by letting it rest on a counter for at least 10 minutes.
- make sure to preheat the cast iron skillet very well.
- once you lay chicken onto a pan, do not move it until it's time to flip it.
- nutritional facts are for information purposes only, and not to be considered medical advice.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcalProtein: 42.5gFat: 9.5gSodium: 383mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Stacy
Love how easy this is to make. Cast iron is my favourite way to cook, usually on the BBQ or over a campfire. This recipe is going to be great to use when cooking outside.
Sava's Kitchen
Thank you Stacy. I agree, this recipe can be also great for outside cooking!
Martina
I was currently looking for new recipes to try this weekend, and I'm so happy I came across this one! This looks very delicious and rich in flavour. Thanks for sharing x
Sava's Kitchen
Thank you Martina! Hope you try it soon. This is our favorite simple chicken breast recipe.