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51 Stress-Free Cast Iron Skillet Recipes

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!

The 101 Best Chicken Recipes for When You’re in a Dinner Rut


one skillet sun dried tomato chicken
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.

skillet chipotle chicken enchilada bake recipe
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.

3. Chocolate Skillet Cake

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

skillet roasted chicken with peaches tomatoes red onion 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.

baked caprese chicken skillet 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.

lemon garlic chicken rice one pan skillet recipe
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.

skillet chicken creamy spring vegetables recipe
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.


creamy parmesan pesto one skillet chicken recipe
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.

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.

cast iron skillet recipes nacho dip recipe

11. Skillet Nacho Dip

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

12. Blackberry-raspberry Skillet Cobbler

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

skillet chicken tortilla pie recipe
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.

15 minute spicy korean skillet chicken reicpe
Averie Cooks

14. 15-minute Spicy Korean Skillet Chicken

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

15. Broiler S’mores

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

16. Skillet Peach Cobbler

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

17. Skillet Mac And Cheese

Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside.

monterey chicken recipe
Dinner at the Zoo

18. Monterey Chicken

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


19. Skillet Cornbread With Cheddar And Scallions

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

20. Giant Cinnamon Roll

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

bruschetta chicken recipe 921
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.

one pan creamy chicken fricassee with sage 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.

creamy chicken corn tomato skillet 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.

cranberry balsamic roast chicken 9211
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.

25. Mini Skillet Funnel Cakes

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

cheaters coq au vin 921
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.

greek chicken and rice skillet recipe 921
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.

cook beautiful chicken 920
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.

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.

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).

34. Skillet Chicken Fajitas

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

35. Turkey Cauliflower Caprese Skillet

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

36. Skillet Chocolate-chip Cookie

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

37. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet

Store-bought veggie noodles would work just as well.


38. Skillet Chilaquiles

Mmm, basically breakfast nachos.

39. Red Shakshuka

Don’t forget the crusty bread for serving.

40. Onion And Arugula Frittata

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

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.

42. Green Shakshuka

Sick of scrambled eggs? Time to meet shakshuka,

43. Skillet Steak With Asparagus And Potatoes

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

44. Skillet Pizza

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

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.

46. 15-minute Skillet Pepper Steak

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

47. Skillet Pasta With Summer Squash, Ricotta And Basil

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

48. Deep Dish Double Chocolate Pecan Skillet Pie

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

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

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

50. Cheater’s Skillet Paella

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

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.



heathgoldmanheadshot 1

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?

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