Make a delicious baked chicken breast with the bone in using this simple Cast Iron Baked Bone In Chicken Breast recipe! Crisp the skin in the skillet then transfer the split chicken breast to the oven to finish roasting with some carrots.
One-pot
Beginner-friendly
You’ll Learn: The technique for juicy, flavor-packed chicken breast with golden edges
Worth It: It’s a satisfying, protein-forward option that actually keeps you full
Bonus: Use leftover bones for homemade chicke broth
Why You’ll Love this recipe
- Great for meal prep – This chicken is great to make for meal prep. I love making it and using the leftovers in wraps and salads in my lunches all week.
- One pan meal – I love a one pan meal! It keeps dinner easy and clean up even easier.
- Versatile recipe – This recipe is a great simple recipe, and the chicken can be used in so many different dishes.
What is split chicken breast?
Split chicken breast is a chicken breast with the bone and skin still attached. Many times split chicken breasts are also called bone in chicken breast.
Why is it called split chicken breast? When it comes from a whole chicken breast they are cut apart at the breast bone and they become split breasts.
Most recipes call for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I actually love to cook this split chicken breast recipe to make juicy chicken with crispy skin. I first sear the breasts skin side down and then I bake them with some carrots until they are cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many wonderful ways to serve this juicy and tender bone-in chicken breast recipe. I love having it as the main dish with some favorite sides like Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes or air fryer red potatoes, and Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts or air fryer asparagus.
They are also the perfect protein to add to salad like a Kale Caesar Salad, a Grilled Caesar Salad, or a simple green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. You can use the leftovers to make a Waldorf chicken salad.
Ingredients
- Split chicken breasts – I love using bone in skin-on chicken breast for the most tender and juicy chicken breast. Plus, you can save the bones to make a homemade chicken broth
- Large carrots – slice up your carrots and cook them in the same pan as the chicken for amazing flavor
- Salt and pepper – the salt and pepper add flavor and help make the chicken juicy and delicious
- Oil – I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will work
- Butter – the butter melts over the carrots and makes them so tasty
- Dried or fresh thyme – you can use dried or fresh thyme, depending on what you have or what you prefer
Ingredient Substitutions
You can make this recipe with chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on them. Cook them according to the recipe instructions, but they may cook faster so use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh after baking for an estimate of 15 minutes.
In place of the carrots, you could use another root vegetable such as parsnips.
You can also mix up the seasonings for your chicken. Add oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, or any other favorite spices to switch up the flavors! You could even add some honey for a bit of sweetness.
If you want to make a boneless skinless chicken breast, try this delicious pan seared chicken breast recipe. To make chicken in an air fryer basket, try this air fryer popcorn chicken. You could also try to make these as air fryer bone-in chicken breasts. Use the same seasonings and air fry at 375F until the the chicken is cooked through.
How to cook split chicken breast
Step 1: Season bone in chicken breast
To begin, preheat oven to 425F. Peel carrots and slice into 1/2″ thick rounds and set aside.
Then, pat split chicken breasts dry and season on top and bottom with teaspoon salt and cracked black pepper.
Step 2: Sear split chicken breast
Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or other oven safe skillet over med-high heat. When the oil is warm add the breasts to the pan skin side down to sear and let the chicken cook.
Then, sear until the skin is crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Next, flip the breasts and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and the cooked chicken from the skillet. Add the cut carrots into the skillet with cubed butter on top.
Then, sprinkle thyme on the carrots and add the chicken back into the pan skin side up.
Step 3: Bake chicken and carrots in the oven
Place skillet in the oven to bake at 425F for 25-27 minutes. If your pan is not oven safe at that temperature, transfer everything to a baking sheet. Use a meat thermometer to check that the temperature inside of the cooked chicken breasts has reached 165F.
Finally, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing. To keep warm, loosely tent in aluminum foil.
Storage and reheating
Allow the chicken breast to cool completely. Then, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also put it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I do not like to reheat split chicken breast. I prefer to slice the leftover chicken down and enjoy it cold on salads or in wraps. If you do want to reheat it, I recommend gently reheating in a pan rather than the microwave.
Check out these other chicken recipes!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Cast Iron Baked Bone In Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 bone in skin on chicken breasts split chicken breasts
- 4 large carrots
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Peel carrots and slice into 1/2″ thick rounds and set aside. Pat split chicken breasts dry and season on top and bottom with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or other oven safe skillet over med-high heat. When the oil is warm add the breasts to the pan skin side down to sear. Sear until the skin is crispy and brown about 5 minutes, then flip the breasts and cook on the other side for 3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and the chicken from the skillet. Add the cut carrots into the skillet with cubed butter on top. Sprinkle thyme on the carrots and add the chicken back into the pan skin side up.
- Place skillet in the oven to bake at 425F for 25-27 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken breast has reached 165F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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