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

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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (1)

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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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (2)

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.

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (3)

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.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. Chocolate Skillet Cake

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

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the recipe

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.

Get the recipe

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (7)

Lexis Clean Kitchen

6. Lemon Garlic Chicken And Rice One-pan Skillet

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

7. Skillet S'mores Cookie

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

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (9)

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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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (10)

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.

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.

Get the Recipe

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

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (14)

Pinch of Yum

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.

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (15)

Averie Cooks

14. 15-minute Spicy Korean Skillet Chicken

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

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).

Get the Recipe

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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17. Skillet Mac And Cheese

Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside.

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (19)

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the recipe

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.

Get the recipe

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.

Get the recipe

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.

Get the recipe

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).

Get the Recipe

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.

See Also
Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime Recipe

Get the recipe

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

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.

Get the Recipe

30. Skillet Vegetable Fried Rice

Toss in shrimp or chicken for extra protein.

31. Healthy Balsamic Chicken Skillet With Pomegranates And Feta

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

32. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Just add the tortillas and extra guac.

33. Ricotta Berry French Toast Casserole

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

Photo: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell

34. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

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

Get the Recipe

35. Turkey Cauliflower Caprese Skillet

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

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

36. Skillet Chocolate-chip Cookie

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

Get the Recipe

37. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet

Store-bought veggie noodles would work just as well.

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38. Skillet Chilaquiles

Mmm, basically breakfast nachos.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

39. Red Shakshuka

Don’t forget the crusty bread for serving.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

42. Green Shakshuka

Sick of scrambled eggs? Time to meet shakshuka,

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

48. Deep Dish Double Chocolate Pecan Skillet Pie

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

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.

Get the Recipe

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).

Get the Recipe

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.

Get the Recipe

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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (53)

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

51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes (54)

Rebecca Shapiro

read full bio

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.

Read More ›
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

Continue Reading ›
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.

Get More Info Here ›
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.

Get More Info Here ›
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.

Explore More ›
What is the best oil to season cast iron with? ›

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

Find Out More ›
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

Show Me More ›
What is the first thing you should cook in cast iron? ›

Start with Vegetables

Any seared, sautéed, or pan-roasted vegetable recipe is a great place to start breaking in your skillet. Vegetables won't stick to your cooking surface like fatty proteins, and are easy to spread out over the entire cooking surface, helping to build even seasoning.

Read On ›
Can you use butter on cast iron? ›

Yes, you can season the pans for frying, sautéing, or baking in cast iron cookware like pans, pots, or skillets with butter, but it's not the right choice to season it for the first time. Butter immediately starts to smoke when added to a heated pan because cast iron can withstand a lot of heat.

Explore More ›
Why do you put salt in a cast iron skillet? ›

Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of coarse kosher salt into your cast iron skillet. (If you have a smaller pan, one tablespoon will do just fine.) It's important that you use a coarse grained salt—this will provide the traction you need to remove food particles.

View More ›

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.

Find Out More ›
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.

Learn More Now ›
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.

Tell Me More ›
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

Tell Me 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.

Explore More ›
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.

Read More ›
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

Read The Full Story ›

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