Skillet Chicken With White Beans and Caramelized Lemon
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
- 1shallot, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2½pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts (about 4 to 6)
- 1tablespoon canola oil
- 1(15-ounce) can small white beans (such as Great Northern, navy or cannellini) or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into large pieces
- Flaky sea salt
- Olive oil, for drizzling
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
874 calories; 58 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 27 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 57 grams protein; 1133 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Toss lemon slices and shallots together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper; set aside. (This will lightly pickle the shallot and soften the lemon while you cook the chicken.)
- Step 2
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken, skin-side down. Using kitchen tongs or a spatula, press the chicken evenly into the skillet so it makes good contact with the hot surface (which will promote browning). Cook, resisting the urge to check too frequently, until the skin is deeply golden brown (think of the color of a well-baked croissant), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. At this stage, most of the fat should be rendered and the skin should be crispy. Flip and continue to cook until pieces are cooked through, another 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Using kitchen tongs, transfer chicken to a plate to rest, leaving all the fat behind. Add lemon and shallot to the chicken fat, standing back if you need because it will sizzle. Cook, swirling the skillet, until the lemon has started to caramelize and brown, 3 to 5 minutes. (It’ll smell like a mix of lemonade and caramel.)
- Step 4
Add the beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans have started to brown a bit and soak up all of that caramelized lemon chicken fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Working in batches, add kale and toss to wilt, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.
- Step 5
Return the chicken to the skillet, along with any juices that have collected on the plate, and cook for a minute or two, just so everything gets to know each other in there.
- Step 6
Divide the chicken, beans and kale between plates, making sure to top each serving with a few lemon slices. Sprinkle with flaky salt and a final few turns of pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
Private Notes
Comments
So. Had high expectations, which were not really met. Kind of bitter, and not particularly interesting. For the snarks out there, I of course used dried yak instead of chicken thighs, bananas instead of shallots and lawn clippings instead of kale. Nonetheless, it was not a favorite.
Should the beans be drained and rinsed before adding them to the skillet?
Everyone's comments really helped this dish! Round-up of the advice I'm glad I took: added fresh thyme to the lemon and shallot mix, doubled the amount of shallots (and beans), after browning (10 minutes) finished the chicken at 350 in the oven (25 minutes till cooked), threw a healthy pinch of red chile flakes in with the lemon and shallots, added a splash of white wine before the kale, used baby kale so it would cook fast, added beans last. Not a drop left.
actually does come together in 45 min. doubled up on beans, lemon, and shallots, which would have been enough for 4 thighs, but definitely needed more for 6. took a page (conveyor belt chicken) out of samin nosrat's book (salt fat acid heat) and deboned the thighs which worked great, but the chicken lacked flavor in contrast to the rest of the dish, a minute or two just isn't enough. next time will maybe marinate or season the chicken beyond salt and pepper. lemon garlic herb? italian?
These are the notes I jotted down after I made the dish because it turned out beautifully and I wanted to remember for next time: • Preheat oven to 350° convection bake. • Triple shallots and 1.5x kale (would’ve doubled kale but wouldn’t fit in my pan. They were delish!) • Use juice and zest of lemon in place of slices if lemon rind is thick. • Use photo as a reference when determining lemon slice thickness. • Rinse and dry beans before using • Transfer chicken thighs to plate • Deglaze pan with lemon or white wine, then add 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock. Slowly stir in kale. When wilted, add beans. • Return chicken to pan and place in oven until chicken is cooked through and kale is just beginning to char. (Time will vary depending on the size of chicken thighs. Use instant with thermometer to check.)
Oh, and I forgot to mention —I didn’t use oil when rendering the fat from the chicken skin. I placed the thighs skinside down in a dry pan. This rendered the fat beautifully, and I was able to release the skin easily using a metal spatula. Came out perfect!