So, a chili powder-based spice rub, lemon, onion and garlic? Mmmm, they’re all some of my favorite flavors, but together? Yes, please. And seared into chicken, then roasted with kale, beans? (Garbanzo here, but other beans like cranberry or white beans would be great, too.) Stop the bus. Really, stop and pick up anything you need for this meal if you don’t have it in your pantry, ’cause 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.
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, like ‘meaty’ dishes), which is because I find them easy – stick ’em in the oven or on the grill and ‘poof’ done. Plus, roasting and grilling especially taste 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 (the photo above shows the skillet ready to go into the oven for roasting).
But don’t take my word for it – make it as soon as possible. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be scraping the pan (or fighting over leftovers) like we do!
- 1 TB. + 1 tsp. Basic Spice Rub (made with chili powder)*
- 4-6 chicken bone-in, skin-on legs and/or thighs
- 1 TB. olive, coconut, or peanut oil
- ½ lg. onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-1/2 c. cooked garbanzo, cranberry, or white beans (from your freezer, or about 2 cans)
- ½ c. chicken broth
- 1 small lemon, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced thinly
- 1 lg. bunch kale (or chard), stemmed and chopped
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add the chicken to a bowl or large baggie, along with a tablespoon of spice rub and mix/shake until chicken is coated with rub.
- Heat 1 Tb. oil in a cast iron or oven proof skillet, add the chicken pieces skin side down and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes before turning and cooking another 5 minutes until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for about a minute before adding beans, chicken broth and 1 tsp. 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 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
- Serve immediately with a crusty bread to soak up any juices.
Sharing at Weekend re-Treat.
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!
Yeah! I was not exaggerating, so I hope you guys like it as much as we do. 🙂