Cast Iron Chicken Breast

There’s no better way to cook chicken on the stovetop than in a cast iron skillet! The cast iron chicken breast boasts a crisp, golden brown exterior, thanks to a great sear, and a tender, juicy inside. Best of all, the easy dinner is ready in about 20 minutes!

If you’re looking for even more delicious chicken recipes, be sure to try these braised chicken thighs with gravy, a pot of Dutch oven chicken breast with vegetables, this simple-yet-flavorful dump-and-bake chicken tzatziki with rice, and a tray of bbq sheet pan chicken and veggies, too!

There are so many great ways to cook boneless, skinless chicken breast for supper — including grilled and slathered in bbq sauce, breaded and oven-fried, or baked for fajitas. Nothing, however, can quite compare to the ease, simplicity, and texture of a cast iron chicken breast!

Is it better to cook chicken in cast iron or nonstick pans?

Cast iron skillets are almost always my preference for cooking meat on the stove top, and here’s why:

• High heat: cast iron skillets can handle very high temperatures, which gives you the flexibility of cranking up the heat to get a nice sear, transferring the pan to a very hot oven, or placing the skillet under the broiler to finish a dish. By contrast, nonstick skillets are best suited for medium heat (or medium-high heat at the most). At very high temperatures (500 to 600 degrees), the chemicals used in nonstick coatings can begin to degrade and be released.
• Browning: cast iron retains and evenly distributes heat better than a nonstick skillet. This means that your chicken browns more evenly, gets a better sear, and therefore tastes better. Juicy chicken breasts are always the goal!
• Oven-safe: if you need to transfer a skillet from the stovetop to the oven, cast iron is your best bet. Yet another reason that we love it for searing and finishing filet mignon, in addition to cooking chicken on the stovetop!

Why is my chicken sticking to my cast iron pan?

Well-seasoned cast iron is naturally non-stick. That said, there are two main reasons that food sticks to cast iron, and they’re easily avoidable. First, the pan may be too hot. Since cast iron retains heat much better than other types of cookware, you generally don’t need to use as high of a heat setting as you normally would with stainless steel or aluminum cookware.

Chicken can also stick to a cast iron skillet if you’re not using enough oil. The oil prevents the meat from sticking, and also helps to add another layer of seasoning to the skillet as you cook.

What to Serve with Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast

This versatile entrée pairs well with almost any of your favorite sides. Here are some easy options to round out your next weeknight dinner:

• Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
• Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Southern Caesar Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or Classic Caesar Salad
• Baked Potato Wedges, Crispy Parmesan Potatoes, Twice Baked Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Skin On Mashed Red Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, or Easy Potato Salad
• Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Corn Sticks, Honey Cornbread, Broccoli Cornbread, or Cornbread Muffins
• Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, No-Boil Overnight Mac and Cheese, Shells and Cheese, or Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
• 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Cathead Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits, or Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon
• Rice Pilaf or Charleston Red Rice
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
• Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
• Southern Succotash
• Southern Collard Greens
• Fried Okra
• Broccoli and Cheese
• Easy Pasta Salad
• Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon or Cowboy Baked Beans
• Okra and Tomatoes
• Southern Squash Casserole
• Cheese Grits
• Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage

Cast Iron Chicken Breast Recipe Variations

• Use another seasoning blend that you prefer, or make your own with the spices in your pantry. Other nice options include thyme, oregano, and paprika. Fresh herbs are great if you have them, too! The all-purpose house seasoning is a simple blend that works well on chicken, steak, salmon, salads, and vegetables, but other versions are also good. For instance, you might like to use a bbq dry rub, and then baste the chicken breast with barbecue sauce at the end.
• Prefer dark meat? You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. The boneless thighs will likely need about 15-20 minutes total, but the meat thermometer is always the best way to know when your chicken is done.
• Cook as many (or as few) chicken breasts as you need. For instance, if you’re feeding just one or two people, you can cut the ingredients in half. If you need to serve a larger group, double or triple the ingredients. Just remember to cook the chicken in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.

Tips for Cooking the Best Chicken Breast in Cast Iron

• Use a very large cast iron skillet (at least 12-14 inches) so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. This is the 14-inch pan that I use most often, but this 11-inch skillet is good for 2-3 chicken breasts at a time. Otherwise, you’ll need to cook the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan will result in steaming the chicken, and you won’t get a nice sear on the outside.
• Preheat your skillet for 4-5 minutes to establish an even heat before adding the chicken.
• Make sure that the oil is hot before adding your chicken. When the oil starts to shimmer, it’s a good indication that it’s hot enough. If you add the meat before the oil is hot, the chicken will soak it up rather than sauté or sear.
• Use enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. I’ve suggested 2 tablespoons in the recipe here, but you can adjust that amount based on the size of the pan that you’re using. Always err on the side of more oil, rather than too little.
• Use a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. Total cooking time will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size and heat of your skillet, as well as the size, thickness, and temperature of your chicken breast when it goes into the pan. The chicken is ready to come out of the skillet when it reaches an internal temperature of 160-165°F and the juices run clear. The temp will continue to rise as the meat rests.
• If your chicken breast is particularly large or thick, cover it with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it to an even thickness (about ½-inch – ¾ inch thick). This will help the chicken cook through evenly before it burns on the outside.

More Chicken Breast Recipes to Try

Dump-and-Bake French Onion Chicken

1 hour hr

Oven-Fried Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

30 minutes mins

Chicken Dijon

38 minutes mins

Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 14 minutes minutes

Resting Time 5 minutes minutes

Total: 24 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 219 kcal

Use a cast iron skillet to achieve seared, golden brown chicken breast with tender, juicy insides!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 (6-8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
• 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning (or about ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, kosher salt, parsley flakes, minced onion, and dried basil)
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon salted butter

Instructions

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over the chicken; rub it around to coat the meat on all sides. Season each chicken breast with all-purpose seasoning and ground black pepper to taste. Set aside while you preheat the skillet.
  
• In a large 12-14-inch cast iron skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Depending on the size of your chicken and the size of your skillet, you may need to work in batches. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes without moving, allowing the meat to brown and sear in the hot pan. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low if the outside of the chicken looks like it’s starting to burn. Flip the chicken over and cook for about 5-7 more minutes on the second side, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken.
  
• Add the butter to the skillet and swirl it around. When the butter melts, spoon it over the chicken.
  
• Remove the chicken to a serving platter or cutting board. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
  

Notes

• • Use a very large cast iron skillet (at least 12-14 inches) so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. This is the 14-inch pan that I use most often, but this 11-inch skillet is good for 2-3 chicken breasts at a time. Otherwise, you’ll need to cook the chicken in batches. Overcrowding the pan will result in steaming the chicken, and you won’t get a nice sear on the outside.

• • Preheat your skillet for 4-5 minutes to establish an even heat before adding the chicken.

• • Make sure that the oil is hot before adding your chicken. When the oil starts to shimmer, it’s a good indication that it’s hot enough. If you add the meat before the oil is hot, the chicken will soak it up rather than sauté or sear.

• • Use enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. I’ve suggested 2 tablespoons in the recipe here, but you can adjust that amount based on the size of the pan that you’re using. Always err on the side of more oil, rather than too little.

• • Use a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. Total cooking time will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size and heat of your skillet, as well as the size, thickness, and temperature of your chicken breast when it goes into the pan. The chicken is ready to come out of the skillet when it reaches an internal temperature of 160-165°F and the juices run clear. The temp will continue to rise as the meat rests.

• • If your chicken breast is particularly large or thick, cover it with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it to an even thickness (about ½-inch – ¾ inch thick). This will help the chicken cook through evenly before it burns on the outside.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(6 ounce) chicken breastCalories: 219kcalCarbohydrates: 0.003gProtein: 36gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 511mgPotassium: 630mgSugar: 0.003gVitamin A: 138IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

Keyword: cast iron chicken breast, cast iron skillet chicken breast, chicken breast in cast iron, stovetop chicken breast

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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