The Dons signalled their intent as early as the first minute when David Proctor's attempter header back to goalkeeper Ryan Esson only found the feet of Darren Mackie.
He instinctively set up strike partner Lee Miller, but his effort from the angle of the edge of the box flew a yard wide of the post.
Five minutes later, however, and the visitors did take the lead. Proctor's foul on Mackie gave Aberdeen a free-kick 30 yards from goal and Charlie Mulgrew stepped up to curl a sublime effort past the diving Esson.
Caley Thistle attempted to respond and were so nearly on level terms after 17 minutes, Dougie Imrie narrowly heading Roy McBain's cross wide of goal.
Aberdeen continued to offer more of a potent attacking threat and they should have forged further ahead when Miller played in Dutch winger Jeffrey de Visscher, but his low drive found the grateful arms of Esson.
After a bright opening half-hour, the game then became a rather scrappy and frenetic affair, although Don Cowie still had an opportunity on the stroke of half-time with a header from a McBain cross that looped on to the roof of goalkeeper Jamie Langfield's net.
Like the first half, Aberdeen began the resumption on the front foot and only a wonderful save by Esson from Miller's close-range volley prevented a second Dons goal on 50 minutes.
It only delayed the inevitable by 60 seconds, however, as Imrie failed to clear Miller's attempted cross and Gary McDonald promptly punished the error with a left-foot curler that found the corner of Esson's goal.
The Dons were now rampant and went further in front on 56 minutes from yet another Caley Thistle mistake.
This time Richard Hastings was caught in possession by Mackie who showed plenty of composure to lob the ball over the advancing Esson from 12 yards.
Inverness now looked a beaten team, although they did hit the woodwork on 70 minutes when Ian Black's attempted lob was headed on to the crossbar by Scott Severin.
There was to be no consolation for Caley Thistle, however, as Aberdeen moved up to fifth place in the table.