Description
A cozy, flavor-forward skillet meal with crispy chicken thighs and vibrant green beans in a garlicky lemon-butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 2 to 2.5 pounds total)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3–4 tablespoons)
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Carefully remove chicken thighs from packaging. Pat them very dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Trim any excess fat if desired.
- Snap or cut off the stem ends of each green bean. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
- Peel and mince 6–8 cloves of garlic. Zest the entire large lemon, avoiding the white pith. Slice the lemon in half and juice it, collecting about 3–4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, warm for 30 seconds. Add half of the unsalted butter (¼ cup) to the skillet, melt, and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add minced garlic to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth, and optional red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
- Wipe out the skillet or use a fresh one. Add the remaining ¼ cup of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, carefully place seasoned chicken thighs, skin-side down, into the hot skillet.
- Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 5–7 minutes on the skin side until deeply golden brown and crispy.
- Use tongs to carefully flip the chicken thighs over. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for another 8–10 minutes, or until cooked through at an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Once cooked, remove chicken thighs from skillet and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Return the skillet (with drippings) to medium heat. Add the trimmed green beans and sauté for 5–7 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Pour the reserved lemon garlic butter sauce into the skillet with the green beans. Stir together, scraping up any browned bits, and gently nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet. Allow to simmer together for 2–3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding white wine to the sauce base instead of some chicken broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: chicken, skillet, lemon, garlic, green beans, weeknight dinner