Cast-Iron Split Chicken Breast Recipe
If you're looking for new ways to put your cast iron skillet to use, we've got a staple recipe for you. We believe everyone needs a simple and reliable recipe for cast iron split chicken breasts. Not only is the chicken easy to make, you can serve up a complete meal in minutes by pairing them with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes.
Recipe developer Jessica Morone says "These chicken breasts are great because they are so versatile. You can serve them with veggies or rice, or cut them up and put them on things like salad or pasta. They go with pretty much anything you want!" We happen to agree. Chicken, especially a simple and flavorful recipe like this one, is a reliable source of protein with unmatched versatility.
Morone notes "This is such an easy recipe that it would be great for a weeknight dinner. This is ready in 30 minutes and requires very little work." No more wondering, "What's for dinner?" There's nothing like seared chicken to swoop in and save the day.
Gather your ingredients
To make these cast-iron split chicken breasts, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil, and butter.
Season the chicken breasts
To start, preheat your oven to 425 F. Then, sprinkle the chicken with the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You want to make sure to season both sides of the chicken to ensure each bite of the chicken is packed with flavor.
Sear the chicken in a skillet
In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 5 minutes. This step of searing the chicken is crucial. Morone says "This is a good method of cooking these for a few reasons. The first is that skillet-searing the chicken makes the skin on the outside crispy and golden. The second reason is that it is much faster than just baking them completely in the oven, which could take over 45 minutes if you didn't sear them first."
Bake the chicken until it's cooked through
Next, flip the chicken breasts over in the skillet before placing the skillet in the oven. Allow the chicken to bake all the way through for 17-20 minutes. At this point, test the doneness of the chicken by using a meat thermometer. You want the thermometer to read at least 165 F. Once the chicken hits this internal temperature, remove it from the oven. Finally, allow the chicken to sit and rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- 2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet, skin side down. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes.
- Turn the chicken breasts over, then remove the skillet from the burner and put the skillet in the preheated oven.
- Bake the chicken for 17-20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165 F.
- Remove the breasts from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
| Calories per Serving | 413 |
| Total Fat | 28.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 126.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.0 g |
| Sodium | 401.7 mg |
| Protein | 36.5 g |
