PERFECT Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Choosing Your Chicken Breast

There are good and bad chicken breasts. Sometimes you just get stuck with a stringy piece of chicken. Cooking this chicken starts in the grocery store.

When you're looking, choose chicken breasts that are smooth, pale pink-colored, and shiny. Smaller chicken breasts will cook more evenly and tend to be less chewy. The chicken should be plump but not bulbous.

Avoid chicken breasts that look like they have lots of striations or stringy pieces hanging off of them. Avoid yellow chicken breasts. Avoid huge bulbous chicken that looks like it has been injected with water.

Variations

This recipe is more of a tutorial on how to cook the chicken. Although the seasonings are what I typically use, your options are endless. Typically, I go with an Italian flavor with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.

Some of my other favorite combos:

• Garam masala, thyme, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
• Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• Chili powder, cumin, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• Chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper

Another way to change up the flavor is to replace the lemon with lime. You can also add fresh herbs to the cast iron with the butter like fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary.

Step-By-Step Directions

Master this technique to cook your chicken and you will always end up with the juiciest piece of chicken breast for your everyday meals!

Seasoning the Chicken

The first step is pounding and tenderizing the meat. It takes two extra seconds and can make a huge difference!

Place your cast iron over medium heat. While the cast iron is heating, season the chicken breasts with whatever seasoning you prefer. You don't need to marinate if you don't have time. I usually don't have time and it still comes out delicious.

Cooking the Chicken

Once the cast iron is hot, add the avocado oil. I prefer to use avocado oil on the cast iron because the skillet conducts heat so well and can burn olive oil at the heat we are using in this recipe.

Step 1: Place each chicken breast flat on the cast iron. Add half of a lemon, cut side down, on the skillet. You may need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your cast iron.

Step 2: Cook the chicken breast for 7 minutes and then flip it over. If the chicken is looking darker or browner than you think it should, lower the temperature.

Step 3: Cook for another 7 minutes and check the temperature with your instant-read thermometer. Use tongs to roll the chicken breast onto its edges to cook the sides of the breast and develop a golden brown color. Leave the chicken on the cast iron until it reaches 165℉.

Basting

Step 4: Once the chicken reaches 165℉, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter to the pan near the lemon. Use a spoon to baste the chicken in the butter. Then use tongs to grab the lemon and squeeze it over the chicken.

Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting it. Rule of thumb is to let it rest for half the time it took you to cook it.

How to Store and Reheat

Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

This chicken can be eaten hot or cold. I prefer not to reheat and to eat it cold in salads. If I do reheat it, I place it in the microwave for 45-second intervals flipping after every 45 seconds until warm.

Chicken does dry out more when you reheat it. Another way to reheat it is by making gravy and reheating it in the gravy.

FAQs

What to Serve With Chicken Breast

The best part about cast iron chicken breast is how versatile it is. There are so many things you can eat it with or add it to!

• Try it with some pasta like Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, Garlicky Cauliflower Pasta, or Spicy Vodka Sauce.
• You can replace any of these proteins with this chicken in these dishes: Cast Iron Shrimp and Creamy Cilantro Lime Orzo, Cast Iron Lemon Chicken Orzo, or Chicken Bacon Ranch Skillet.
• You always need a vegetable to go with your chicken like My Favorite Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts, Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), or Italian Cabbage Recipe.
• And of course, you can simply add it to a salad with our Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, or serve it with rice or risotto like our Mushroom Truffle Risotto or Lemon Spinach Orzo!
• Make our Mediterranean Chicken Wrap with cast iron chicken instead of grilled chicken!