Easy Cast Iron Chicken Breast (Oven or Stovetop)

As a lean, high protein cut, boneless skinless chicken breast is a must if you're looking to boost your protein intake. But let's be honest, if you're not cooking it right, chicken breast can be bland and boring.

Enter the trusty cast iron skillet - one of my top kitchen tools. Whether you make your chicken breast on the stovetop or in the oven, the result will be juicy, evenly-cooked chicken done in less than 20 minutes!

Why you'll love cast iron chicken breast

QUICK WEEKNIGHT PROTEIN - Done in 20 minutes, this simple chicken recipe is fast! Perfect for a quick, nourishing weeknight meal or simple meal prep.

SIMPLE - Seasoned with just salt and pepper, this recipe is ridiculously bare bones. You can change it up with a spice blend or by adding sauce as you see fit!

HIGH PROTEIN - Chicken breast is a staple high protein meat option. Fast and simple, this will become a back-pocket recipe you can whip out whenever you need a quick healthy meal.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love cast iron chicken breast
• Ingredients and tools needed
• Why use a cast iron skillet?
• How to make juicy chicken breast in a cast iron pan
• Variations
• FAQs
• Serving suggestions
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients and tools needed

This recipe is as straghtforward as it gets! You'll need 4 ingredients for this recipe:

- Boneless, skinless chicken breast

- Kosher salt

- Ground black pepper

- Olive oil

And that's it! Of course, if you want to add some flavor, I've got some tips and ideas below for how to incorporate spices and sauces.

As for tools that you'll need to successfully make cast iron chicken breast:

- Cast iron skillet: This should be pretty obvious, but you'll need a good cast iron skillet for this recipe. Typically I use a large 12" skillet to fit multiple chicken breasts at once.

- Meat mallet or masher: One of the secrets to perfectly cooked chicken breast that's still juicy is pounding it to an even thickness before cooking. Use a meat mallet or similar tool (personally, I use a potato masher like this one).

Why use a cast iron skillet?

The beauty of using a cast iron skillet is that it creates an evenly heated surface, which means perfectly cooked chicken every time.

Plus, you get a beautifully seared outside that screams "I know what I'm doing in the kitchen" instead of rubbery chicken that looks, well, bland.

Couldn't you just use any skillet?

Absolutely. If done right, you'll still get wonderfully juicy chicken breast with a a seared exterior.

It's no secret, though, that I'm a sucker for cast iron. It's easy to maintain, is non-stick if cared for, and I rarely have to spend any effort scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.

If you opt for another kind of skillet, be aware that cook time may vary based on how hot your skillet gets.

How to make juicy chicken breast in a cast iron pan

It's pretty easy to go from juicy, tender chicken breast to tough, rubbery chicken breast. Fortunately, if you follow the cooking instructions, you'll get the hang of perfect cast iron chicken breast in no time.

First, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.

You'll need a meat mallet or similar tool for this. Just place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pound until they're relatively even.

Why does this matter? Raw chicken breasts aren't the same thickness throughout. So if you're trying to cook them without evening them out, you have to keep cooking them until the thickest part of the meat is cooked through.

While that thick part is still getting done, the thinnest areas have already been cooked. For a while. So they're just going to keep cooking while the heat tried to penetrate that thickest area.

Therefore, everything but the thickest part of the chicken breasts are going to be overcooked and tough. OR the thickest part won't be cooked through, which is a problem.

So save yourself the trouble and pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.

It takes just a couple more minutes, and you won't regret it - seriously, this is the secret to FANTASTIC chicken breasts!

Cooking with stovetop instructions

Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet and set over medium to medium-high heat. You shouldn't need more than a couple teaspoons of olive oil if your skillet is well-seasoned.

Season your flattened chicken breasts generously with kosher salt and pepper.

Add the chicken to to skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side (how long exactly will depend on how thick the chicken breasts are).

When the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, remove from heat. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking with oven instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Add olive oil to the cast iron skillet and put it in the oven while it preheats. Preheating the skillet means you'll still get a sear on the chicken breast when you cook it, and it speeds up the cooking time slightly!

While the oven is preheating, you can pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness as described above. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper.

Take the skillet out of the oven just long enough to put the breasts in the skillet - careful, that oil will sizzle!

Put the skillet back in the oven and roast for about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken's done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Take the skillet out of the oven and immediately transfer the chicken to a plate. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Variations

While salt and pepper are all you need for a quick, straightforward recipe that works well as meal prep or to pair with a salad, you can easily change up the flavor of this chicken breast in two ways:

Use a dry rub or spice blend

When seasoning with salt and pepper, just season with an additional spice or blend.

Chili or chipotle powder will add a kick, while smoked paprika adds smokiness. Oregano, thyme, or rosemary all work well with chicken, too!

Otherwise, grab your favorite spice blend to add a different flavor. One of my favorites is a mesquite blend, but lemon pepper, greek seasoning, or cajun seasoning are great options!

Add a sauce or deglaze the pan

Otherwise, you can always serve this chicken breast with a sauce (like ranch or honey mustard), or make your own pan sauce by deglazing the pan with balsamic vinegar, cooking wine, broth, or a mix of those.

I tend to make 3-4 chicken breasts at once as meal prep, and the easiest way to change up their flavor throughout the week is by adding a sauce after the fact.

A little ranch, BBQ sauce, salsa, hot honey mustard, or a favorite salad dressing can go a long way!

FAQs

Serving suggestions

Salads - When pumping up a salad with protein, cast iron chicken breast is my go-to! Add chopped chicken breast to salads like Asian Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing, Wild Rice Salad with Chicken and Kale, or Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad.

Meal prep - When we can't grill outside, this is our go-to method for prepping a week's worth of lunches for my spouse and me. Paired with a starch like rice or sweet potatos and veggies or salsa, lunches are always packed with protein and flavor!

Easy sides - If making cast iron skillet chicken for a quick weeknight meal, pair with no-frills sides like Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Easy Oven-Roasted Potato Rounds.

More ideas:

Have you made cast iron chicken breast? I'd love to hear how you served it! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.

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📖 Recipe