Juicy Cast Iron Chicken Breast with Honey Garlic Herb Butter

This cast iron chicken breast recipe gives you juicy, golden-seared chicken every time, finished in the oven or on the stovetop. Topped with garlic herb butter, it’s simple, flavorful, and feels like restaurant-quality at home!

If you’re looking for a chicken breast recipe that’s anything but boring, this cast-iron method is a game-changer. I start by seasoning the breasts just right, then searing them in a hot cast-iron skillet until they’re perfectly golden. From there, you can finish them in the oven for even cooking, keeping them incredibly juicy and tender—no dry chicken here! Or, if you prefer, you can finish them on the stovetop, which works just as well, so you have options depending on your mood that night.

The real showstopper? The garlic herb butter that melts over the top just before serving. It seeps into every crevice, adding rich, savory flavor that takes these chicken breasts from simple weeknight dinner to something special. I’ve made this countless times, and it never fails to impress—perfect for family meals, dinner parties, or just treating yourself to a restaurant-quality dish at home. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for boring chicken!

Store and reheat

Store: If you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature and then store them in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat: I will often slice this chicken and serve it cold over a salad for lunch the next day. If you want to reheat it, you can use a microwave or slice it thin and reheat it in a pan.

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Juicy Cast Iron Chicken Breast with Honey Garlic Herb Butter

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

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This cast iron chicken breast recipe is a go-to in our house. I make it at least once a week, often switching up the spice blend to go with the dinner I'm serving. The chicken is juiciest when seared and then baked, but I've added directions about how to cook this 100% on the stovetop if you don't want to turn on your oven.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 medium chicken breasts (about 6-ounces each)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter

Garlic Herb Butter

• ▢ 4 tablespoons salted butter (at room temperature)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (grated on a microplane or very finely minced)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Start by making the herb butter by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside on your counter.
  4 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, 2 cloves garlic
  
• In a small bowl, mix the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• Dry the chicken with paper towels, then season it with the spice mix. I find that using my hands to rub in the spices works the best.
  4 medium chicken breasts
  
• Heat the olive oil and butter in your cast iron skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the chicken breasts, top side down, and cook for about 5 minutes – until they develop a golden brown crust on one side.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter
  
• Flip the chicken over and put the cast iron pan into the oven and continue to cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit – about 10-15 minutes.
  
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes out of the oven and then serve with a heaping tablespoon of the herb butter on top.
  

Notes

Stovetop version: During recipe testing, I found that the chicken remained the most tender when quickly seared and then finished in the oven. However, if you prefer not to turn on your oven, you can continue to cook the chicken on the stovetop. For the best results, sear the chicken until golden, then flip it over and reduce the heat to medium-low. Then, cook until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit – about 15 minutes in total. 

Spices: You can swap out the spices in this recipe for others, depending on what you’re serving with the chicken. Try fajita or taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex meal. Or opt for lemon pepper or herbs de Provençe.

Help! My chicken is sticking to my cast-iron pan. Why is this happening? Chicken sticks to a cast-iron pan usually because the pan isn’t hot enough, isn’t properly seasoned, or there’s too little fat in the pan. Make sure to preheat your pan until it’s hot, add both the oil and butter, and ensure your chicken is dry before adding it to the pan. Once it forms a golden crust, it should release easily. Patience is key—letting it naturally release instead of forcing it helps prevent tearing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 chicken breast with herb butte, Calories: 279kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 5g (2%), Protein: 24g (48%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 103mg (34%), Sodium: 804mg (35%), Potassium: 437mg (12%), Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 468IU (9%), Vitamin C: 3mg (4%), Calcium: 14mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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