Marinated Cast Iron Chicken Breasts

Golden brown chicken breasts cooked in a cast iron skillet.

These marinated cast iron chicken breasts are easy, flavorful, and perfeclty juicy! Seasoned with garlic power, kosher salt, and just a few other simple flavors, once you make these chicken breasts you'll never use another recipe again!

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Marinating Time 1 15

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 223kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $15

Equipment

Ingredients

3 boneless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Instructions

Butterfly the chicken by cutting it in half horizontally.
Place chicken in a large bowl. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Squeeze lemon juice over top. Add maple syrup and ¼ cup olive oil. Mix to coat the chicken.
OPTIONAL: Place chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. If you're short on time, you can skip this step!
Remove chicken from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for about 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Swirl the pan around to evenly coat the bottom in oil.
When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts, leaving space in the skillet between each one. Cook chicken in batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to fit all pieces.
Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes on the other side. Chicken is done when a thermometer inserted in the middle reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Serve chicken hot with your favorite dipping sauces and side dishes.

Notes

I like to butterfly the chicken breasts so they cook evenly. A thicker piece of chicken can become overcooked on the outside while the inside remains raw, so cutting the chicken into a thinner piece allows the inside to cook through while the outside turns a light golden brown!
If your skillet is too small, I recommend working in batches to ensure all chicken breasts cook through without overcrowding.
After 5 minutes of searing, the chicken breasts should lift easily out of the skillet. If they stick, try cooking a minute or two longer!

Nutrition