This tender and juicy Stovetop Chicken Thighs is a deliciously easy one-pan meal. You will love the perfectly seasoned bone-in thighs with sautéed green beans. And for a bonus, it has a rich and savory pan sauce to drizzle over your favorite side dishes.
Why this recipe is so good....
- Quick - Simple preparation and quick cooking. You can have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes.
- Family friendly - Perfect for kids and grown ups! You can easily adjust the spice level and change the seasoning blends for your family's preferences.
- Versatile main dish - The chicken thighs and green beans are a simple one-pot meal and only need a starch if you aren't counting carbs. Or add a salad or another vegetable.
If you cook chicken thighs every week like we do, these Marinated Broiled thighs and Baked Lemon Pepper thighs are easy recipes to try. And if you want to try some stronger flavors, my Hot Honey Thighs and Jalapeno thighs are extra special.
Ingredients
You need the following ingredients to make chicken and string beans
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
This recipe uses a simple seasoning blend in addition to some fresh herbs. Chicken thighs will be delicious with many other blends. Some to try:
- BBQ flavor: paprika, brown sugar, garlic, onion, chili powder
- Italian: oregano, basil, thyme or a premade Italian seasoning.
- Cajun: paprika, garlic, onion, thyme, red pepper flakes, chili powder or chipotle powder
- Lemon pepper: lemon zest, salt, black pepper, garlic and onion powder
- Indian: turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chili powder
- Greek: dill, oregano, mint, thyme, garlic, onion, paprika
You can also use other vegetables instead of the green beans. Since they are considered soft veggies, you should choose similar types so that the cooking time is about the same. Some of those would be:
- asparagus
- zucchini
- mushrooms
- bell peppers
- spinach
- cherry tomatoes
How to make Skillet Chicken Thighs and Green Beans
Step 1: Combine spices on a plate or in a large bowl. Press the seasoning onto top and bottom of chicken. Add oil and heat skillet over medium-high heat. Place thighs skin side down and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Flip chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Cook until chicken registers 160°F with an internal meat thermometer.
Step 3: Remove to a plate.
Step 4: Lower heat to medium. Add butter to melt in pan and then cook the grated or minced garlic and string beans for 2 minutes. Remove beans.
Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, fresh herbs. Stir to combine. Then add back the string beans to the side of the skillet.
Step 6: Add chicken back to the other side of the skillet. Stir to combine. Cook for another 5 minutes or until chicken registers 165° and the string beans are crisp-tender.
Recipe Tips
- Pat dry the thighs with paper towels before pressing in the seasoning.
- Make sure to preheat the pan and add the oil before adding chicken. This helps it to brown.
- Don't overcrowd the pan - To give the thighs a nice, golden brown sear, make sure to cook thighs in a single layer to give them space in the pan. Overcrowding will lead to steaming instead of browning. If the thighs don't all fit in your pan, cook them in batches.
- Don't move the thighs around while it is searing. It could stick to the pan.
- Finish with a lid - If the pan is smoking too much or the chicken is burning, you can turn the heat down to low-medium and cover the skillet to allow the chicken to fully cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use boneless thighs but I recommend using the bone-in and skin on variety. The bone helps to keep the thighs juicier and the skin adds more flavor to the chicken. Boneless chicken thighs will cook 5 minutes or so quicker than bone-in.
If the chicken is done but the string beans are not, remove chicken to platter, cover with foil, turn the heat up a bit, add another ¼ cup broth and cook string beans until done. The same goes for the chicken if the string beans are done but chicken is not. I timed mine to be done at the same time but size of the chicken thighs can vary the cooking time.
What to serve with Chicken and Green Beans?
Side Dish Ideas
- SALADS - Chicken thighs can be a healthy, light meal when paired with a salad. Here are some of my favorites.
- House salad
- Butter Lettuce Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Red Lettuce Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
- VEGETABLES - Want extra veggies with your meal? Try one of these:
- Roasted Squash and Zucchini
- Pan Seared Asparagus
- Marinated Broccoli
- OTHER SIDES
- I served the thighs with mashed potatoes for my husband and mashed cauliflower for myself. You can serve brown, white or cauliflower rice. Or some quinoa, orzo or pasta and noodles.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you gave it a comment and a rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Here are some other Chicken thighs recipes to try:
Stovetop Chicken Thighs and Green Beans
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
These tender and juicy Stovetop Chicken Thighs and Green Beans are a deliciously easy one-pan meal. You will love the perfectly seasoned bone-in thighs with sautéed green beans. And for a bonus, it has a rich and savory pan sauce to drizzle over your favorite side dishes.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, (about 4-5 bone-in, skin on)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning or chicken seasoning*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth or stock
- ½ lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 12 ounce package fresh green beans (pre-washed and trimmed)
- optional fresh sage, chopped chives
Instructions
- Combine spices on a plate or in a bowl. Press the seasoning onto top and bottom of chicken.
- Add oil and heat skillet over medium -high heat
- Place thighs skin side down and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Cook until chicken until almost done and registers about 150°F with an internal meat thermometer. Remove to a plate,
- Lower heat to medium. Add butter to melt in pan and then cook the grated or minced garlic and string beans for 2 minutes. Remove beans to a plate.
- Add chicken back to the skillet. Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, fresh herbs. Stir to combine, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. (This adds so much flavor!) Then add back the string beans to the side of the skillet (see photo).
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until chicken registers 165° and the string beans are crisp-tender. *
- Remove herbs before serving.
Notes
*If using unpackaged string beans, you can prep by trimming a little bit off the top and bottom and rinse over strainer.
*Add the juice from the other half of lemon if you like the sauce extra lemony.
* If the chicken is done but the string beans are not, remove chicken to platter, cover with foil, and cook string beans until done. The same goes for the chicken if the string beans are done but chicken is not. I timed mine to be done at the same time but size of the chicken thighs can vary the cooking time.
*If you want more pan sauce, add more chicken stock or broth and lemon juice. Also add a little more seasoning. Stir to heat through.
*Store the thighs and string beans separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over low-medium heat until heated through. Or reheat on microwave- safe dish, cover with food safe plastic and heat for about 1-2 minutes.
*Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and heat as stated above.
Nutrition is estimate from Nutrifox.com
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Sodium: 277 mg
- Fat: 9.6g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Protein: 29.5
- Cholesterol: 133mg
Kelly says
I love serving a main and veg together. Just added some rice and a delicious meal.
Deb Belsha says
Thank you. Quick and tasty is always the goal!!