A Cozy, Restaurant-Worthy Chicken Dinner Made In One Pan
There’s something deeply satisfying about a meal that feels luxurious but comes together with pantry staples. This skillet chicken with white beans and kale is exactly that — golden, crispy chicken nestled into a garlicky, lemony sauce that’s brimming with tender white beans, fresh herbs, and hearty greens. It honestly tastes like something you’d order in a little French bistro… only easier.
We love this on chilly weeknights when we want something cozy yet vibrant. It’s bright from the lemon and capers, rich from the pan juices, and filling thanks to those creamy beans. Pour yourself a glass of Chardonnay or maybe a juicy Gamay (look for bottles with bright acidity to balance the lemon), grab a crusty loaf of bread, and dinner’s done.
Let’s Talk Schmaltz AKA: Rendered Chicken Fat
Most people don’t have schmaltz on hand — and that’s totally fine! I keep a small jar in the fridge and add to it whenever I cook chicken with the kin on. You can substitute bacon fat or duck fat, or simply omit it. Schmaltz adds a subtle richness you’ll miss slightly with boneless, skinless thighs, but I’ve made this recipe plenty of times using them and it’s still absolutely delicious.
A couple things to keep in mind:
- Bone-in, skin on thighs take longer to cook (around 30 minutes) but deliver crispy, golden skin and juicy, flavorful meat. They make for an epic crunch in my za’atar roasted chicken thighs!
- Boneless thighs cook quickly and are easier to eat — perfect for weeknights! They make frequent appearances in this ridiculously flavorful anchovy chicken, so try that one next!
To Make It Even More Filling
This one pot skillet meal is complete on its own, but I pretty much always serve crusty bread on the side to soak up the garlicky sauce. And my husband particularly loves when I add a heaping tray of crispy, oven-roasted potatoes. And honestly, I can’t blame him. 😂
Fellow white bean lovers, if you’re looking for more elevated dinner ideas for busy weeknights, try my crispy chicken thighs with butter beans or this baked cod with breadcrumb topping, tomatoes, and white beans, an absolute family-favorite!
If you try this easy chicken dinner (which, by the way, batches beautifully and is great for meal prep!), please leave a star rating and review below!
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Crispy Skillet Chicken with Garlicky White Beans & Kale
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp schmaltz, optional
- 8 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, about ~2 lbs
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into small pieces
- 2 (15 oz) cans of white beans, drained (such as cannellini, navy, or northern beans)
- 1½ cups (355ml) low-sodium chicken stock, or 1 cup stock + 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ lemon, thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- flaky sea salt, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp schmaltz (if using) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- If using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: Trim any excess fat from chicken thighs, then season on all sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Carefully place chicken in the hot skillet (carefully, it will splatter!) and cook, undisturbed, for 8-10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and easily lifts away from the pan. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- If using boneless chicken thighs: Trim any excess fat from chicken thighs, then season on all sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Carefully place chicken in the hot skillet (carefully, it will splatter!) and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and easily lifts away from the pan. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining ingredients, then transfer to an oven. Add 10 smashed garlic cloves, torn kale leaves, and 2 cans of white beans, then toss. Pour in 1½ cups (355ml) chicken stock, then stir. Nestle chicken thighs (skin side up, if using skin-on) on top of the kale and beans, then add lemon slices and fresh oregano. Bake for 7-10 minutes (if using boneless) or 12-14 minutes (if using bone-in), until an internal temperature of 165°F (74*C) is reached.
- Serve. Top the chicken with 2 Tbsp capers, then sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Schmaltz: If you’re cooking skin-on thighs, you can omit the schmaltz (rendered chicken fat). It’s a nice addition, however, if using boneless thighs.
- Any leafy green will work, just remove the stems first.
- This freezes like a dream! Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, then freeze for up to 3 months.
What a great recipe! Super easy to make and really delicious! The flavors go do well together! Definitely a keeper!
We are on a kick with this recipe too! Nothing beats an easy, flavorful chicken dish!! xo, Ari
So good! Made this with bone in chicken thighs and swapped out the oregano with rosemary. Very tasty!
Yum, love the idea of using rosemary! SO MUCH FLAVOR happening in this recipe! Glad you loved it too! xo, Ari
Even looks like the photo .. on my chicken rotation
This has been on heavy rotation in our house, as well. Such a great weeknight option! xo, Ari
That was delicious and easy!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Isn’t it crazy delicious for having so few ingredients?! xo, Ari
We made this tonight with bone in and skin on chicken thighs. It was fantastic! It was so flavorful and comforting. This will be a staple as we head into cooler weather!
I’m SO SO GLAD! We love this too, especially on cooler evenings. The way the kale cooks down is magic! xo, Ari
This recipe is excellent! Easy to follow with helpful pictures. Easy to make and seriously delicious! It has become a regular meal in our household and even my tiny kids are happy to eat it which is a big WIN! Thank you Ari 😃
Super proud of your kiddos for eating it with you! Love when there’s a meal the whole fam cam enjoy! Thanks for the stellar review! xo, Ari
I’ve collected all the ingredients for this delicious recipe, but I’m not sure about one thing. When I put the skillet into the oven to bake, should I be putting foil or a lid on the skillet, or sent it in naked!? 🙂
Thank you!
Kathy S.
Hooray! No need to cover with a lid or foil — straight into the oven! xo, Ari
This recipe was so tasty and super easy to make! Everything was put together really quickly too! Definitely making this again for those busy weekday evenings!
Yesss, it is a total family favorite over here! So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review, Salina! xo, Ari
I used boneless, skinless thighs, and this was delicious! Even my kids loved it!
So awesome when you find a meal the whole fam loves, happy to hear it!! xo, Ari
Yum!! Quick and easy
So glad you enjoyed it, Karen! xo, Ari
Made this yesterday for lunch. This was outstanding! Loved the flavor of the broth. I only had 4 bone in chicken thighs. Ended up adding more kale and beans to the broth after we had eaten. Didn’t want to waste that broth! First recipe of yours I’ve tried. Saw this on your instagram stories. I’m Silas on there. Thanks for the great recipe.
So happy to hear this, Marcie!! We love this easy weeknight dinner, it’s so flavorful! xo, Ari
Full Disclosure: I’m a little terrified of being in a kitchen and used to store shoes in my oven (because…space…). However, this recipe is so ridiculously easy and delicious that I have it on regular rotation. The searing is key – so YUM!. Ari, you’re amazing!
I’m glad we were able to replace the shoes in the oven with something a little tastier hah! Thank you! xo, Ari
Absolutely delicious! My husband loved it and so did I. Not difficult to make, I used boneless, skinless breasts and divided white wine and low sodium chicken broth.
It’s a really easy, healthy weeknight chicken recipe. So glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
The chicken thighs (skinless boneless) came out super tender and the whole combination with kale and beans was fantastic. I do gave some questions though: i used a stainless steel skillet (all-clad d3) because that’s all i got, and also it took me longer to do the kale and beans prep on the side while the chicken was cooking, so i had to set the chicken aside for a bit was it was seared (but not cooked through), so the pan cooled down a bit. It took me 45 mins in the oven to get the chicken to cook completely. Question 1: the cook times for the chicken in the skillet, are they to cook them completely? Question 2: is the expectation to assemble the whole dish and put it in the oven as soon as the chicken is seared?
Question 3: is stainless steel skillet not a good option?
Thanks again for the recipe, loved it!
Hi Enza, thanks so much for the feedback and the great questions! First, stainless steel is pretty much always a good option. I recommend it more than any other cookware, so no issue there. Yes, once you add the kale, beans, and liquid to the pan, you’ll stir it well, then return the seared chicken thighs and nestle them right on top of the other ingredients (they finish cooking in the oven!). If the oven is preheated, it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to finish the thighs. Now if you’re using bone-in, skin on thighs (which you were not), it would definitely take longer to cook through. I honestly can’t fathom why it took 45 minutes, that is a very, very long time to cook boneless, skinless thighs. Do you feel that your oven is working properly? I ask only because we had a family member whose oven broke on Thanksgiving — yes, really! — and the timing for everything was completely off.
Anyway, I’m glad you got there in the end! If you’re still confused about anything, feel free to ask follow-up questions. There’s also a video of the recipe being made (on the recipe card) if you find that helpful. Cheers! Ari
Super easy and delicious. Thanks so much!
Thank you, Hettie! This is one of my favorite, reliable healthy weeknight dinners–and it’s so filling! Really glad you enjoyed. xo, Ari