Quick Cast Iron Chicken Breast (Oven & Stovetop Instructions)

This quick cast iron chicken breast recipe is my go-to for fast, healthy meals that taste fantastic!

Boneless, skinless chicken breast is a go-to protein for anyone looking to eat healthy or bulk up their muscles. 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!

Keeping things as simple as possible, I've seasoned this recipe with just salt and pepper. But reference the post for how to change things up and add more flavor when you want to.

This cast iron chicken breast recipe is perfect for meal prep, and it's gluten free, dairy free, Whole30, and keto-friendly.

Ingredients and tools needed for Cast Iron Chicken Breast

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.

What temperature is the chicken breast done at?

You'll always want to cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F!

Always measure the temperature at the thickest part of the breast. But since you pounded the chicken to an even thickness, it's all the same, right? 😉

Variations and tips for cast iron chicken breast

While salt and pepper are all you need for a quick, straightforward recipe that works well as meal prep or to pair with a sald, 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 powder will add a kick, while smoked paprika adds smokiness. Oregano, thyme, or rosemary would all work well with chicken!

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 all work really well here too!

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, honey mustard, or a favorite salad dressing can go a long way!

How to serve chicken breast cooked in cast iron

As mentioned already, cast iron chicken breast works super well as flavorful meal prep protein.

I'll often prep some veggies and sweet potatoes/potatoes at the same time and separate into containers with the chicken for some go-to meals throughout the week.

In the same vein, this recipe makes a quick weeknight dinner, too! Cook the chicken breast in the cast iron skillet on the stovetop, roast some veggies on a sheet pan, and dinner's done before you know it.

This simple chicken breast also goes incredibly well with a good salad that could use a little oomph of protein.

See some of my favorite recipes to pair this chicken breast with down below!

Recipes to pair this chicken breast with

Did you try this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.

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