51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (2024)

Table of Contents

1. One Skillet Greek Sun-dried Tomato Chicken And Farro 2. Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake 3. Chocolate Skillet Cake 4. Skillet Roast Chicken With Peaches, Tomatoes And Red Onion 5. Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet 6. Lemon Garlic Chicken And Rice One-pan Skillet 7. Skillet S'mores Cookie 8. Skillet Chicken With Creamy Spring Vegetables 9. Creamy Parmesan Pesto One Skillet Chicken 10. Easy Cherry Skillet Cake 11. Skillet Nacho Dip 12. Blackberry-raspberry Skillet Cobbler 13. Skillet Chicken Tortilla Pie 14. 15-minute Spicy Korean Skillet Chicken 15. Broiler S’mores 16. Skillet Peach Cobbler 17. Skillet Mac And Cheese 18. Monterey Chicken 19. Skillet Cornbread With Cheddar And Scallions 20. Giant Cinnamon Roll 21. Bruschetta Chicken 22. One-pan Creamy Chicken Fricassee With Sage 23. 30-minute Creamy Chicken, Corn And Tomato Skillet 24. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken 25. Mini Skillet Funnel Cakes 26. Cheater’s White Wine Coq Au Vin 27. Greek Chicken And Rice Skillet 28. Pan-roasted Chicken With Shallots And Dates 29. Skillet Gnocchi With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe 30. Skillet Vegetable Fried Rice 31. Healthy Balsamic Chicken Skillet With Pomegranates And Feta 32. Skillet Chicken Fajitas 33. Ricotta Berry French Toast Casserole 34. Skillet Chicken Fajitas 35. Turkey Cauliflower Caprese Skillet 36. Skillet Chocolate-chip Cookie 37. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet 38. Skillet Chilaquiles 39. Red Shakshuka 40. Onion And Arugula Frittata 41. Skillet Cherry Pie 42. Green Shakshuka 43. Skillet Steak With Asparagus And Potatoes 44. Skillet Pizza 45. Skillet Lasagna With Corn And Cherry Tomatoes 46. 15-minute Skillet Pepper Steak 47. Skillet Pasta With Summer Squash, Ricotta And Basil 48. Deep Dish Double Chocolate Pecan Skillet Pie 49. Brussels Sprouts Skillet With Crispy Pancetta-garlic Bread Crumbs 50. Cheater’s Skillet Paella 51. Mini Skillet Pizzas With Mushrooms And Roasted Tomatoes Food Editor FAQs References

food

By Heath Goldman

•

Published Nov 10, 2020

Additional reporting by

Rebecca Shapiro

Cooking at home is one of the easiest ways to eat healthy and save money, but we’re not into that whole “spending hours in the kitchen” thing. So reach for your secret weapon and new best friend: the cast-iron skillet. Here, 51 of our favorite cast iron skillet recipes, from cheater’s white wine coq au vin to chicken tortilla pie. The best part? (Aside from a satisfying meal in next to no time) barely any dishes!

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Half Baked Harvest

1. One Skillet Greek Sun-dried Tomato Chicken And Farro

Greek seasoned chicken with fresh oregano, dill, garlic, lemon and paprika is pan-seared and cooked with farro, sun-dried tomatoes and olives.

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What's Gaby Cooking

2. Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

When you layer enchilada chicken with all the cheese, fresh corn and black beans, you get an instant family favorite—in just 20 minutes.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. Chocolate Skillet Cake

We recommend eating it by the spoonful, straight from the hot pan.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4. Skillet Roast Chicken With Peaches, Tomatoes And Red Onion

If you have an hour, you can easily whip up this bright and juicy skillet chicken dinner.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

5. Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet

If it were up to us, we’d top everything with mozzarella. So naturally, this is one of our favorite dinners.

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Lexis Clean Kitchen

6. Lemon Garlic Chicken And Rice One-pan Skillet

Loaded with creamy flavors, plenty of leftovers and none of the cleanup.

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The Recipe Critic

7. Skillet S'mores Cookie

This cookie gives us all the melted chocolate and toasted marshmallow goodness we crave.

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Damn Delicious

8. Skillet Chicken With Creamy Spring Vegetables

The chicken comes out amazingly crisp tender with carrots, mushrooms and asparagus all cooked in the best herb cream sauce.

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Carlsbad Cravings

9. Creamy Parmesan Pesto One Skillet Chicken

We give you permission to use store-bought pesto. Bonus points if you serve everything over cauliflower rice.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

10. Easy Cherry Skillet Cake

We love this with cherries, but really, any fresh fruit would work well. Just be sure not to skimp on the whipped cream on top.

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11. Skillet Nacho Dip

Load up your plate with your ideal toppings-to-chips ratio.

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Robert S. Cooper/A Real Southern Cook

12. Blackberry-raspberry Skillet Cobbler

This cobbler recipe has all the summery-sweet perks of pie without so much effort.

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13. Skillet Chicken Tortilla Pie

Come Thursday, we’re tempted to skip the kitchen all together and order take out. Instead, opt for this easy, cheesy recipe, which will satisfy all of your cravings in practically no time.

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Averie Cooks

14. 15-minute Spicy Korean Skillet Chicken

Fast, spicy and so much healthier than ordering a boat-load of takeout.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15. Broiler S’mores

The ’mallows will be toasty and the chocolate melted just enough--without all the fuss. (You’re welcome).

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

16. Skillet Peach Cobbler

This is everything a cobbler should be—be still our summer-loving hearts!

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Recipe Tin Eats

17. Skillet Mac And Cheese

Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside.

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Dinner at the Zoo

18. Monterey Chicken

Seasoned chicken breasts smothered in barbecue sauce, cheese, bacon and tomatoes. Nom, nom, nom.

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19. Skillet Cornbread With Cheddar And Scallions

Our final words of wisdom? Eat it straight from the skillet.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

20. Giant Cinnamon Roll

The only thing better than a freshly baked cinnamon roll? A giant freshly baked cinnamon roll.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

21. Bruschetta Chicken

A speedy summer dinner that tastes super indulgent (thanks to juicy pieces of tomato and a dusting of Parm) but is actually low-cal, low-carb and packed with protein.

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Helen Cathcart/Tuscany

22. One-pan Creamy Chicken Fricassee With Sage

This simplified version of an Italian classic tastes like it was made by an Italian grandma. Plus, the sauce is thickened with egg yolks and lemon juice, not heavy cream.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

23. 30-minute Creamy Chicken, Corn And Tomato Skillet

A handful of ingredients and just three simple steps are all it takes to whip up this crowd-pleaser.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

24. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken

If you can’t find fresh cranberries, it’s completely OK to use frozen ones; just thaw and drain them first.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Mini Skillet Funnel Cakes

They’re super easy to make at home (and the mini versions are just too cute for words).

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

26. Cheater’s White Wine Coq Au Vin

Ready in under an hour and totally foolproof. Plus, it’s made with dry white wine instead of red for an elegant twist.

27. Greek Chicken And Rice Skillet

Easy, gorgeous and so damn delicious. Save it for those nights when you’re entertaining a crowd and need to casually dish up something sensational.

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Cook Beautiful

28. Pan-roasted Chicken With Shallots And Dates

Juicy chicken with crispy skin rests on a caramelized layer of Medjool dates and green olives. The dish is salty-sweet and bright (thanks to lemon juice and zest) all at once.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29. Skillet Gnocchi With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe

This hearty and delicious dish is super simple, and it tastes like you spent all day making it.

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Dinner at the Zoo

30. Skillet Vegetable Fried Rice

Toss in shrimp or chicken for extra protein.

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Sweet Peas and Saffron

31. Healthy Balsamic Chicken Skillet With Pomegranates And Feta

This colorful dish is perfect for any night of the week.

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Carlsbad Cravings

32. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Just add the tortillas and extra guac.

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Pinch of Yum

33. Ricotta Berry French Toast Casserole

You can make this in 30 minutes (homemade brioche and all).

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Photo: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell

34. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Bonus: Since this is a one-pan meal, cleanup is a breeze too.

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Food Faith Fitness

35. Turkey Cauliflower Caprese Skillet

This. Is. Genius. Plus it uses our favorite versatile veg: cauliflower.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

36. Skillet Chocolate-chip Cookie

Why have a regular old cookie when you can have a skillet cookie?

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Sweet Peas and Saffron

37. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet

Store-bought veggie noodles would work just as well.

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How Sweet Eats

38. Skillet Chilaquiles

Mmm, basically breakfast nachos.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

39. Red Shakshuka

Don’t forget the crusty bread for serving.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

40. Onion And Arugula Frittata

What’s so wonderful about a frittata? Well, you can make it with nearly anything.

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Foodie Crush

41. Skillet Cherry Pie

Baking a pie in a cast iron skillet not only saves on dishes, but it also makes the crust delightfully crispy.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

42. Green Shakshuka

Sick of scrambled eggs? Time to meet shakshuka,

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

43. Skillet Steak With Asparagus And Potatoes

Here's a one-pan dinner that looks (and tastes) fancy but is totally foolproof.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

44. Skillet Pizza

All you need to make your own pizza is a tried-and-true cast-iron skillet.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

45. Skillet Lasagna With Corn And Cherry Tomatoes

Corn and cherry tomatoes have the same cheesy goodness you crave (and then some), minus the hours of assembly time.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

46. 15-minute Skillet Pepper Steak

Meet 15-minute skillet pepper steak, a simple adaptation of one of our favorite Chinese-American dishes.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

47. Skillet Pasta With Summer Squash, Ricotta And Basil

Best of all, this one-pan meal is ready in half an hour.

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Broma Bakery

48. Deep Dish Double Chocolate Pecan Skillet Pie

Crispy, decadent, delicious. You’ve earned it, baby.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

49. Brussels Sprouts Skillet With Crispy Pancetta-garlic Bread Crumbs

The aromatic topping does double-duty, bringing that extra crunch we crave.

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

50. Cheater’s Skillet Paella

It isn’t officially summer until you’ve eaten paella (with a glass of white wine, of course).

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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

51. Mini Skillet Pizzas With Mushrooms And Roasted Tomatoes

The surface of your trusty cast-iron skillet gets extremely hot, which is the secret to the crispy pizzeria-style crust.

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Heath Goldman

Food Editor

From 2017 to 2019 Heath Goldman held the role of Food Editor covering food, booze and some recipe development, too. Tough job, eh?

read full bio

Rebecca Shapiro

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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is there anything you shouldn t cook in a cast iron skillet? ›

Is There Anything You Shouldn't Cook in Your Cast-Iron Skillet? Experts Weigh In. While there's nothing that's technically off limits, the pros say you should be careful with acidic foods, like tomato or wine sauce, which can corrode the seasoning if left in the pan for too long.

See Details ›

What are the best foods to cook in a cast iron skillet? ›

The Best Foods to Cook in Cast Iron Pans

Pan-seared veggies and proteins.
Fatty foods like bacon.
Burgers.
Grilled cheese sandwiches.
Pizza.
Eggs (yes, you read that right!)
Potatoes.
Cornbread and other breads.

Aug 30, 2022

Learn More Now ›

What is the trick to cooking with cast iron skillet? ›

For one, cast iron pans aren't perfectly smooth and foods like eggs may get stuck. For the best results, make sure to keep your cast iron pan seasoned, and preheat the skillet for a few minutes before you add any food to it. This allows the pan to heat evenly and prevents most food from sticking. Add fat as needed.

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What is the best meat to cook in a cast iron skillet? ›

A thick-cut steak such as a ribeye or New York strip is best for cooking in a cast iron skillet because it can withstand the high heat of the skillet and develop a gorgeous crust, while remaining juicy and tender in the middle. Avoid lean cuts like flank steak or skirt steak, as they are prone to drying out.

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Why can't you cook eggs in cast iron? ›

Eggs fall into the category of sticky foods that are not ideal for cast iron skillets that haven't built up their seasoning yet. While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface.

Should I use butter or oil in a cast iron skillet? ›

When cooking in cast iron, you should add a little oil to the pan before adding your food. This helps ensure the food doesn't stick, and it helps build layers of seasoning. You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil.

View Details ›

Why is my meat sticking to my cast iron skillet? ›

The Cause:

Occasionally food may stick to your cast iron cookware. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as not using enough fat or oil when cooking, using cookware that isn't well seasoned, or when breaking in new cookware that hasn't built up additional layers of seasoning.

Find Out More ›

What is it called when you cook a steak in a cast iron skillet? ›

The key to getting the perfect pan seared steak is to ensure that your steaks are room temperature. Then, pat them dry with a paper towel and season them generously with sea salt and black pepper Heat a high heat oil (like avocado oil) into a cast iron skillet. Then, once it's hot, transfer your steaks into it.

What foods cannot be cooked in cast iron? ›

4 Foods You Shouldn't Cook in Cast Iron

Acidic foods (unless you make it snappy) ...
Fish (particularly delicate varieties) ...
Eggs. ...
Skillet brownies (if you just fried a batch of chicken last night) ...
A lot more (if your skillet isn't properly seasoned)

Mar 11, 2023

Find Out More ›

What foods are not good with cast iron? ›

Acidic Foods

If you're making a rich tomato sauce, wine-braised meat, or a lemon-based marinade, you might want to consider using a stainless steel or ceramic pot or pan. Acidic foods will strip away metals in even the most seasoned cast-iron cookware, and those metals will get into whatever you're cooking.

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Is cooking in cast iron unhealthy? ›

Cast iron pans are popular, especially for searing, and are generally safe to use. But they can leach iron, which is a strong pro-oxidant. Those genetically at risk for iron overload should learn more about cast iron safety. For well over a thousand years, cast iron has been used as a reliable cooking surface.

Learn More Now ›

What will ruin a cast-iron pan? ›

6 Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Cast Iron Skillets

You don't allow time for the pan to heat up. ...
You use the same skillet for savory and sweet. ...
You don't clean the pan quickly enough. ...
You let your skillet soak. ...
You don't re-season the skillet. ...
You store the skillet while it's still wet.

Jul 18, 2020

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