Games between these two teams have produced a glut of goals in the past three years, but there were few highlights in a first half were neither side appeared to show any signs of urgency.
An ambitious overhead kick from Phil McGuire that was saved by Alan Combe at his near post was the only real opportunity of a rather timid opening 20 minutes.
Kilmarnock then fashioned two decent chances within the space of 60 seconds, but twice goalkeeper Michael Fraser saved Caley Thistle from falling behind.
On 24 minutes he denied David Fernandez from six yards with his outstretched leg, before getting down to smother a header from Colin Nish.
Inverness had failed to offer any sustained attacking threat, but they nearly took the lead after 37 minutes when Marius Niculae controlled Graham Bayne's flick on only to see his left-foot shot from 25 yards parried away to safety by Combe.
But the Romania international was not to be denied and he prodded Caley Thistle in front from close range on 42 minutes after Combe had initially blocked a stinging volley from John Rankin.
In stark contrast to events of the first half, opportunities aplenty were created after the interval and virtually all of them coming from the hosts.
After Combe had saved from Bayne and then Niculae in quick succession, Caley Thistle doubled their lead on 52 minutes through Don Cowie as he neatly guided home Richard Hastings' cross from 12 yards.
Hastings himself then spurned a chance to put the game beyond Kilmarnock on 61 minutes as he fired the rebound over after his initial shot had been saved by the increasingly busy Combe.
A minute later and he was called into action again, this time producing a wonderful point-blank save to thwart Niculae.
Inverness, however, did seal the victory 15 minutes from time with Niculae slotting home after Combe had made yet another save from Bayne.
Four minutes from time and the small band of travelling supporters had something to cheer as Nish thumped home a penalty following Grant Munro's handball.
But it was no more than a consolation as Caley Thistle returned to winning ways.