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Tender cast iron chicken breasts seared to golden perfection in a skillet, garnished with fresh parsley, herbs, and lemon slices on a blue tile background.
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5 from 3 votes

Tender Cast Iron Chicken Breast

Juicy cast iron chicken breast with lemon, garlic & za’atar. Ready in under 30 mins, this one-pan recipe is fresh, easy & full of flavour.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Resting time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: International
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie
Servings: 4
Calories: 319kcal
Author: Mimi Harrison

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts, approx 600g
  • ½ lemon zested + slices
  • 3 cloves of fresh Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Salted butter
  • Fresh dill
  • Fresh parsley

Cupboard Essentials

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp zaatar
  • 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and coat it in onion powder, 1 tsp zaatar and a generous sprinkle of salt.
  • Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a cast-iron pan, preheated over high heat. Place the chicken into the pan and leave to sear for 4 minutes.
  • After this time, reduce the heat to medium/low and rotate the chicken pieces.
  • Add the butter and garlic, lemon zest, lemon slices and a generous crack of black pepper and continue to fry for 2-4 minutes, basting the chicken.
  • Check the internal temperature has reached 165°F, then turn off the heat and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then top with fresh herbs (I love parsley and dill), a sprinkle of flaky salt/black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy!

Notes

For the most tender chicken, pound the thickest part of the breast to around 1 inch thick.
Give each piece a bit of breathing room so it sears instead of steaming.
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so the juices settle back in and every bite stays tender.
This one keeps beautifully in the fridge and tastes great cold. A quick squeeze of lemon brings it right back to life.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g