There is something magical about chicken thighs. The crispy skin, the way they never dry out even if you overcook it, the simplicity of how it only takes a little coarse salt to season them. This recipe is one that was inspired by a dish I had in New Orleans last year. We went to this wine bar with a magical back patio and crazy good food, and we had the most delicious bone in chicken with greens an beans. I can’t remember the execution, but it was just simple, salty, and it felt really complete. No side items really necessary. You’ll also be happy to know that you’ll only dirty one pan because these crispy chicken thighs with beans and greens are made in one oven proof skillet! If you have a large enough cast iron, you can use that, but if not, an oven proof skillet or dutch oven will work perfectly.
I realized I don’t have that many chicken recipes on my blog, and I had to remedy this, since it’s something I eat at least once a week. There’s so many ways to prepare chicken, but this is an easy and simple way to make a weeknight dinner that’s for everyone. Also feel free to use any greens and almost any bean! It’s nice to have options. You could also use any type of fresh herb in place of sage.
Let’s get started on this recipe! First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides. Now, we’ll brown the chicken skin. I like to get my skillet pretty hot, add some oil, and sear them skin side down for ten minutes. Make sure you don’t touch them or move them around. If you leave them be for ten minutes, they won’t stick to your pan and they’ll flip over easily. Once the skin is nicely browned, flip them over and add a couple tablespoons of broth to the pan. Then put it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Next, remove the chicken and all the juices to a plate and set aside. Using the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, stirring and cooking until softened. Then add your garlic and sage and cook for just one minute until they are aromatic. Pour in the broth and scrape up any brown bits in the pan. Add your greens and cook until the greens begin to soften. Then add the beans and taste the broth for salt if needed.
Nestle the chicken back into the pan and cook until the chicken is just warmed through. Serve immediately.
- 8 bone in skin on chicken thighs (3 lb)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, destemmed and roughly chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth plus 2 tbsp
- 2 15 oz cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- In a large ovenproof skillet or dutch oven, large enough to hold all the chicken at once, add 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet and do not disturb them for 10 minutes. Once the skin is crispy, turn the chicken thighs over, add 2 tbsp of chicken broth to the pan, and place the skillet in the oven, cooking for 25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Test it to make sure it's no longer pink.
- Remove the chicken and the juices from the skillet and place on a plate to reserve. In the same skillet, add the remaining tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook, stirring until the shallots are softened. Add the garlic and sage, cooking an additional minute, until aromatic. Add ½ cup of the broth and scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the kale and cook for a minute until it begins to wilt. Add the beans to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes, until the beans are warmed. If the beans look dry, add a splash more chicken broth. Taste for salt if needed. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pan, nestling them into the beans and greens and let them warm through, about 2 minutes. Then serve immediately.
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