Let me help you turn boring chicken breasts into a delicious, easy-to-make dinner option with my recipe for Cast Iron Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts.
Using a cast iron pan is a delicious and easy way to cook chicken. The key to success is to start with a hot pan on top of the stove so the chicken skin gets nice and crispy. Then finish cooking the chicken in the oven so it still turns out juicy!
Check out the complete list of Top Family Favorite Chicken Recipes that are perfect for dinner any day of the week.
There's nothing quite like a classic chicken dinner cooked in a cast iron skillet. And this recipe is the perfect way to do it. What makes it so special? The chicken breasts are cooked bone-in, which adds a ton of flavor.
Plus, the cast iron skillet gives the chicken a beautiful sear. But the best part? This recipe is so easy to make, anyone can do it!
Serve the chicken with your favorite sides and enjoy. This dish is perfect for any night of the week, and it's sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
If you want a recipe for boneless, chicken breasts, try my Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breasts recipe which is made with seasoned breadcrumbs and ready in 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
Cooking Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet in the Oven
Cooking chicken in a cast iron skillet in the oven is the only way to do it if you want juicy, tender, and flavorful meat. The skin gets crispy and golden brown, while the meat remains moist and delicious.
When I need chicken cooked fast, I pull out my cast iron skillet to give the chicken a quick pan sear on top of the stove so the skin would get really crispy, but still allowing the meat to be tender and not dry.
Then I finished cooking the chicken in the oven until it was roasted to perfection, and what's even better, dinner is ready in under 30 minutes.
This dish is sure to impress your dinner guests or family members. It's perfect for a special occasion or a casual meal.
If you want to roast a whole chicken, please check out my recipes for Dutch Oven Roast Chicken or my rotisserie-style Dutch Oven Whole Chicken.
What temp to finish chicken in oven?
One of the best ways to cook chicken is in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets conduct heat evenly, resulting in perfectly cooked chicken every time.
For this recipe, I start browning the chicken in the cast iron pan on top of the stove. But then I place the cast iron pan in the oven to finish cooking the chicken. This is the secret to keeping the chicken juicy and tender.
For bone-in chicken breasts, cook at 400 degrees for 22-26 minutes. If using boneless chicken breasts, cook for 16-20 minutes. Chicken thighs should be cooked at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, regardless of whether they are bone-in or boneless.
When cooking chicken in a cast iron skillet, it is important to use an oven safe thermometer to ensure that the chicken reaches the proper temperature. This will help to ensure that your chicken is cooked to perfection.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet 2-PieceMore InformationStainless Steel Chainmail Scrubber SetMore InformationCast Iron Cleaning & ConditioningMore InformationSilicone Hot Handle Holder, 4More InformationDigital Instant Read Meat ThermometerMore InformationEasy Chicken CookbookMore InformationWinner! Winner! Chicken DinnerMore Information
Main Ingredients Needed
Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper or you can use this recipe for Homemade Chicken Seasoning Mix.
- Butter
- Oil - yes you need both for this recipe
Easy Tip: use waxed or parchment paper when prepping raw poultry. This protects counter tops and you don't have to worry about getting bacteria on cutting boards. Simply throw out the waxed paper when the chicken is in the cast iron skillet.
Step-by-Step Directions:
Step 1: Pan Seared Chicken Breast in Oven
When you sear chicken, you're not really sealing in the juices, you're creating an intense layer of flavor as the chicken browns or caramelizes.
- Pat the chicken with a paper towel to make sure it's dry.
- Heat the cast iron pan until it is hot and then add the butter and oil.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the pan with the skin side down and then season the other side with the salt and pepper.
- Allow the chicken to cook for at least 3 minutes. It needs time to develop that crusty brown color.
- Flip the chicken breasts and allow the other side to sear for another minute or two.
- The chicken is now ready to finish cooking in the oven.
- Place the cast iron pan in a preheated 425 degree oven and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Step 2: How do you know when Chicken Breast is Fully Cooked
- After 20 minutes of cooking, check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts with an instant read thermometer.
- Chicken breasts are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees
- It's very important you use an instant read thermometer because the size of chicken breasts all vary.
- For example, the chicken breast on the left in the photo below was smaller and reached 165° quicker than the other chicken breast.
- I removed the smaller breast from the pan and allowed the other chicken breast to continue cooking an additional five minutes until it reached the proper internal temperature.
- This is the best Digital Meat Thermometer I have tried and believe me, I've tried a few. Works great for checking the temperature for water when I'm making my homemade bread or pizza dough recipes.
How to Clean a Cast Iron Pan
A lot of people are intimidated cooking with cast iron pans because they don't know how to clean and care for them properly. Check out my post on How to Care and Clean and even Season a Cast Iron Pan in the post I wrote a few years ago. You'll soon be enjoying and using these wonderful pans as much as I do.
Top Recipe Tip
When the chicken is done cooking, allow it to rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in juicy, flavorful chicken.
⭐Before You Begin! If you make this recipe, please leave a review and star rating. This helps my business thrive and continue providing FREE recipes.
Like this recipe? Try these other Chicken Recipes
- Hasselback Chicken Stuffed with Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Basil
- Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Cutlets Italian Style
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
More InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore Information
Cast Iron Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts
Let me help you turn boring chicken breasts into an amazing dinner option with this easy recipe for Cast Iron Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts. This a delicious way to get the most tender chicken breasts ever!
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Preheat your cast iron pan on top of the stove for just a few minutes.
- Generously salt and pepper the skin side of the chicken breasts.
- Add the butter and oil at the same time.
- Once the butter and oil are melted and heated, add the chicken breasts skin side down.
- Allow them to sear for a few minutes.
- Salt and pepper the other side of the chicken breasts.
- Flip the chicken breasts and allow the other side to sear for another minute or two.
- Place the cast iron pan in the preheated oven and continue to cook the chicken for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
NOTE:
Cooking time will vary depending on how thick your chicken breasts are.
I always check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer.
Do not attempt this recipe with frozen chicken breasts. Make sure they are thawed completely before cooking.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 311Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 282mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 37g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2019 with new photos and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Alison Libby says
My chicken turned out great using this method. Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. I just serve with some wild rice and a veggie. I am newer to using cast iron and got a Stargazer pan. Appreciate all the recipes I can find.
Lois says
Thanks for the great comment!
Agnius says
Hello.
Do You cover iron pan when puting in oven?
Lois says
No, cook the chicken uncovered. Thank you for visiting.
Janie Kathleen says
I love this recipe! I made these last night on my new well seasoned CI Skillet.
The sear was perfect and finishing in the oven was so ez - they were a beautiful sight coming out.
Served them with balsamic pasta salad with chopped red bell pepper and chopped red onion. Garlic and olive oil. I should have added capers.
I’ll be doing thighs next.
Lois says
Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for reporting back.
Yessika Patapoff says
Same on the smoke detector issue. The flavor was great! But, after prompting a neighbor to come down to make sure the place hadn’t set on fire, I looked up the smoking point of butter and it’s in the mid to low 300’s. So baking at 425 burned the butter and smoked up the entire oven, which set off the alarms. I think next time I’ll just use the butter for basting after it comes out of the oven. 😀
Lois says
Adding butter after the chicken has cooked sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe.
Steve says
Ever since I re-seasoned our old cast iron, I try every use in the book for it and love it.
This pan seared oven finished chicken was a big hit with Rigatoni.
I live in a small apartment, and the process set off the smoke detector a couple times, but this recipe was a three alarm winner!
Lois says
I love using my cast iron pan. Too funny about the smoke alarm. Thanks for visiting.
Sally says
These look so succulent. Normally pan cooked chicken dries out, but it doesn't look like it here. I'll be giving this one a go. Yummy!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
My cast-iron skillet and I are inseparable. I did NOT know that they work on induction stoves. This recipe is so amazingly simple, and yet it can't help but be delicious—especially since you have that gorgeous sear that develops with the help of the skillet.
Lois says
Thanks. I was a little surprised when the oven was delivered and they told me I couldn't use my regular NEW pots on it. But I'm happier now because it forced me to learn to love my cast iron pans. Thanks for visiting!