This Skillet Flatbread is soft and chewy, and makes a great side dish or sandwich. It's cooked in a skillet without having to heat up the oven!

Nut Free

Vegetarian

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When I make any kind of saucy main dish, whether it's a stew or something like a curry, I like to have some kind of bread to dip in it. Sometimes that bread might be focaccia, or maybe slices of sourdough, but you can never go wrong with a good flatbread.

I've been making this Skillet Flatbread for several years, and my family has always loved it. And I like making it. It doesn't take that long (for bread), and I don't need to heat up the oven to make it, as it's completely cooked on the stovetop. This comes in very handy in the summer. I made it most recently with my butter paneer, which my family has been loving lately.

6 pieces of skillet flatbread on a wire rack.

How to Make Skillet Flatbread

Making this soft, chewy skillet flatbread starts with making the dough. I like to use my stand mixer to make mine, but you can use a food processor or knead it by hand instead.

Start by stirring together the dry ingredients (both flours, yeast, and salt) in the bowl of the stand mixer. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the milk, yogurt, and olive oil.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until the liquid is incorporated. Turn the stand mixer (fitted with a dough hook) on to low speed and mix until the dough forms a smooth ball and no longer sticks to the bowl.

Transfer the dough to a clean countertop, and knead by hand a few times until the dough forms a ball. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a lid, plate, damp towel, or plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm spot to rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes.

A stack of 6 pieces of skillet flatbread on a white plate.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Note that the most accurate way to do this is to weigh the whole piece of dough and divide that number by 6. Use a kitchen scale to measure out the 6 pieces of dough.

Heat a 10-inch skillet (preferably a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil and use a clean piece of paper towel to wipe the oil all over the skillet and remove any excess.

Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the others covered in the meantime), roll the dough out into a 6-inch circle. Poke the dough all over with a fork, then lightly spray or brush a very thin layer of water over the top of the dough. Place the dough wet-side-down into the skillet and cover with a lid.

Cook the dough until there are browned spots on the bottom, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the dough and continue to cook, uncovered, until the bottom is browned in spots, about 2-3 more minutes. Adjust the temperature if needed during cooking if you notice the dough is browning too quickly or becoming too dark.

Transfer the flatbread to a wire rack and lightly brush one side with melted butter and sprinkle it with a small pinch of kosher salt. Repeat the above steps with the remaining pieces of dough, starting to prep the next piece of dough while the first cooks.

Serve the flatbread warm, keeping it hot in a low (200°F) oven if you plan to serve it right away, or you can reheat it in the microwave or toaster oven if needed.

A piece of skillet flatbread on a white plate.

Skillet Flatbread Ingredients

Bread flour - I recommend using bread flour, not all-purpose flour, for this recipe to result in chewier flatbread
Whole wheat flour - While I like to use some whole wheat flour in many of my bread and other baking recipes, it is not required. Simply replace it with an equal portion of bread flour if you don't have any or don't like whole wheat flour.
Instant yeast - I recommend using instant yeast in most bread recipes simply because it's easier. If you use active dry yeast instead, you will first need to proof it in some warm water with a little sugar.
Table salt - If you use kosher salt instead of table salt for the dough, you will need to use a slightly larger volume (1 ¾ teaspoons instead of 1 ½ teaspoons). However, if you measure by weight (which I recommend for baking), the measurement is the same for both.
Milk - I used 1% milk, but you could use any milkfat percentage for this recipe
Plain Greek yogurt - I recommend using 2% milkfat or higher for this flatbread. Using low-fat or fat-free yogurt will result in tougher flatbread.
Olive oil - you will need this for both the dough and for oiling your skillet. You could use a neutral-flavored cooking oil instead of olive oil if you wish.
Water - A little water (like a tablespoon, max) is needed to brush on the dough just before cooking. This creates a steamy environment in the skillet and helps to keep the flatbread soft, as opposed to crusty. Use whatever water you normally drink. Cold tap water is fine.
Melted butter - This is used for brushing on the flatbread just after you take it out of the skillet. It helps keep the flatbread soft and adds buttery flavor.
Kosher salt - I sprinkle a little pinch of kosher salt on the flatbreads just after I brush them with butter. You could skip this if you use salted butter or if you're trying to keep your sodium intake down. I recommend kosher salt vs table salt for this because I find the texture better for sprinkling.

Two halves of a piece of skillet flatbread stacked on top of each other on a white plate.

Want more flatbread recipes?

Homemade Pita Bread — Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Hands holding a round of pizza dough — Best Ever Homemade Pizza Dough

Skillet Flatbread Nutrition Notes

The nutrition information in the recipe below is for one piece of skillet flatbread if you use the recipe to make 6 pieces of bread.

To make your flatbread lower in fat and calories, skip brushing the bread with butter after cooking. To make it lower in sodium, skip sprinkling it with salt.