Tender chicken breasts are sauteed with crisp-tender green beans and sweet burst tomatoes in an easy, garlic lemon pan sauce. In less than 20 minutes, this one-pan chicken dinner can be on your table!
Lemon Garlic Chicken Skillet is the perfect meal for a busy day. It is a one-pan meal that is full of flavor and is not only extremely easy to throw together and very healthy.
Why This Meal is so Flavorful
To make humble chicken and green beans shine, I recommend:
- Adding lots of fresh garlic to this easy chicken skillet.
- Using fresh thyme in place of dried thyme, for a delicate flavor that doesn’t overtake the dish.
- Finish this easy one-pan chicken dinner with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to add brightness and marry the garlic and thyme flavors together.
- I also add in a bit of balsamic vinegar for another bright note in flavor.
- If you are not paleo or whole 30, finish the green bean and chicken skillet recipe with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes on this Easy One Pan Chicken Breast Recipe
- To keep the green beans crisp-tender, I recommend blanching them first. This can be done by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil and dropping green beans into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove green beans and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. If you don’t want to take the time to blanch the green beans first, just place them in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3-4 minutes. You can skip the step of steaming or blanching your green beans first, they will just be crunchier in the skillet.
- If you don’t have fresh green beans, you can substitute thin frozen green beans that have been defrosted. For this recipe, I would not use canned green beans or cut thick frozen beans. Fresh is best, but the thinner frozen beans will work in a pinch.
- Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or even seeded, diced Roma tomatoes will work. If I am making this dish in the winter months, I find grape tomatoes are best for the flavor profile.
- If you don’t have fresh thyme, leave out the thyme altogether or substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic when cooking, or your chicken dinner will have a bitter taste to it, this is why I add it in with the green beans and tomatoes and only saute without adding liquid for a couple of minutes.
- If you don’t have fresh lemons, do NOT substitute jarred lemon juice. Instead, add an extra teaspoon of balsamic to round the flavor out.
More Healthy Skillet Recipes
Skillet Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes
One pan chicken dinner made with lemon, garlic and fresh thyme. Paleo. Gluten-Free. Whole 30. Low Carb.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 158kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and blanched *see notes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 fresh lemon juice and zest
- Parmesan Cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.Â
- Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Â
- Add chicken to skillet and brown on each side--about 2 minutes per side.Â
- Add garlic, green beans, and tomatoes to skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes.Â
- Add in chicken broth, zest of lemon, thyme sprig and balsamic vinegar and cover skillet. Let cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.Â
- Right before serving, remove thyme sprig, squeeze with fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle with Parmesan if using.
Notes
- To keep the green beans crisp-tender, I recommend blanching them first. This can be done by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil and dropping green beans into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove green beans and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and drain before adding to skillet.
- If you don't want to take the time to blanch the green beans first, just place them in a microwave safe bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3-4 minutes.
- You can skip the step of steaming or blanching your green beans first, they will just be crunchier in the skillet.Â
- The fresh thyme is not necessary, but does had a nice flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1360IU | Vitamin C: 42.7mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2.1mg
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Perfect for chicken breast(cubed), over a pound green beans and tomatoes. I blanched the green beans over 15 minutes. I don’t like crunchy green beans. I replaced dried flakes of thyme. Sprinkle white shredded cheddar while hot. I used 2 whole medium sized tomatoes sliced in small pieces and no zest. Wonderful use of chicken breasts, tomatoes and green beans.
I am so glad you enjoyed Thomas!
Very good and easy recipe, a added some leftover corn cut off the cob and some white wine and fresh basil. Served over orzo pasta, turned out great!
Sounds like you made great additions Nick! Glad you enjoyed!
Is one chicken breast correct or is that supposed to be 1 lb?
Thanks
Oh my goodness, that is supposed to be 1 pound!! Changing now!
This was really delicious! I would definitely recommend this recipe!! My only question is – how do you know how many grams each serving is?
Hi Joyce! I typically do not calculate grams per serving. I base each serving off about 4 ounces chicken and 1 1/2 cup veggies. Hope that helps you! And I am glad you enjoyed!
FYI the instructions don’t include the thyme! I ended up forgetting to add it because it wasn’t spelled out (I assume it goes in with the broth and the garlic etc).
Oh Heather, thanks for the heads up–yes, this was an oversight on my part. I am fixing right now. And you were correct, the thyme goes in with the broth.
I hope you still enjoyed!
This delicious skillet chicken is just as quick and easy to make as described, and tastes twice as good! This yummy recipe’s a keeper!
YAY!!!! I am so glad you enjoyed Denay and the recipe lived up to it’s claim! It is one of our go-tos on busy nights
Oooh, so delicious, healthy, and quick!
You’re so right that you can never have enough easy dinner ideas.
This is just up our alley. I love easy one skillet chicken dinners. Love anything with cherry tomatoes, too – I find they make a kind of sauce when cooked. Yummy!
So glad you enjoyed Helen! I agree–there is just something about cooked grape or cherry tomatoes–magic sauce 🙂