Seared, chili-spiced skillet chicken is roasted with kale, lemon, and beans to make an easy and super flavorful one-pot meal perfect for weeknights.
So, a skillet chicken meal with a chili powder-based spice rub, lemon, onion and garlic? Mmmm, they’re all some of my favorite flavors – but together? Yes, please! When the flavors are seared into the chicken and then roasted with kale and any bean you have in your pantry, well – stop the bus.
Really, stop and pick up anything you need for this meal if you don’t have it in your pantry, because you will LOVE this.
I created this skillet meal as a way to use some of our Pantry Basics – our Basic Spice Rub and cooked and frozen dry beans. I was expecting a good dish, really, but the final result was better than good.
Brian and I may have fought over the leftovers the next day (and I may have won – I mean, the cook should get it, right?). The reason there wasn’t enough for two the next day? That would be because it was hard to stop eating it the night before, especially the onion-kale-and-bean combo. Yum.
Spiced Lemon Skillet Chicken
Skillet chicken ready for the final roasting.
You may have noticed in our recipe gallery that most of our meals are baked, roasted or grilled (well, obviously, not some pastas, or stir-fries, etc., but you know what I mean – the ‘meaty’ dishes), which is because I find them easy – stick them in the oven or on the grill and ‘poof,’ done.
Plus, roasting and grilling taste especially amazing, right? Skillet meals, while usually all in one pan, seemed (to me) to need a bit more tending to – they may stick to the pan, need more liquid, etc. Which is silly, because they don’t really and I want to add more skillet meals to our dinner rotations and here on AOC.
But guess what’s fantastic about this skillet dinner? (Since I’ve just gushed about the flavor, it’s not that…) It actually combines skillet cooking and roasting, which I’m pretty sure is one of the reasons this tastes so good!
The spices get seared into the chicken pieces first, then the onions are cooked and mixed with the kale, lemon, and beans, before the chicken is added back and the whole pan gets put in the oven to roast for a few minutes.
Spiced Lemon Skillet Chicken ready to be devoured.
But don’t take my word for it – make this spiced lemon skillet chicken as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be scraping the pan (or fighting over leftovers) just like we do!
Spiced Lemon Skillet Chicken with Kale & Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Basic Spice Rub made with chili powder*
- 4 to 6 bone-in chicken legs or thighs
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2½ cups cooked garbanzo, cranberry, or white beans (from your freezer, or about 2 cans)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 small lemon cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced thinly
- 1 large bunch kale or chard, stemmed and chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add the chicken to a bowl or large baggie, along with 1 tablespoon of the spice rub and mix/shake until chicken is coated with rub.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron or oven proof skillet, add the chicken pieces skin side down and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes before turning and cooking another 5 minutes, or until nicely browned (chicken will not be cooked through). Transfer to a plate.
- Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for about a minute before adding beans, chicken broth and 1 teaspoon more of the spice rub. Cook about a minute more.
- Toss in the kale and lemon slices, mixing well, and then nestle the chicken pieces on top. Place the skillet in the oven and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
- Serve immediately with a crusty bread to soak up any juices.
Notes
Nutrition
Other one-dish meals you may like:
Chicken-Spinach Frittata with Feta & Tomatoes
One Pot Italian Pasta with Sausage & Spinach
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Dorothy says
I made the spiced lemon chicken skillet and loved it! But, I did have a bit leftover and thought you might be interested in how I used them. I separated the beans from the kale and other veggies. Then pulsed the veggie mix in a food processor. I mixed together the kale mixture with the beans and the chicken picked off the bone. I used this to fill egg roll wrappers. I air fried the egg rolls and served them with a lemon aioli. (mayo, minced garlic, lemon zest & juice). Maybe even better as leftovers!
Jami says
Wow, Dorothy – that’s clever and sounds wonderful!
Mindy says
This has my name all over it. I have a bunch of kale in the fridge with no plan, and since I have everything else, this is immediately being added to our weekend menu. Yum!
Jami says
Yeah! I was not exaggerating, so I hope you guys like it as much as we do. 🙂