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This Chicken and Green Beans recipe is the kind of fast, fresh dinner busy nights need. Made in one skillet in just 20 minutes, it combines tender chicken, crisp green beans, and juicy tomatoes in a bright and tangy sauce!
Looking for more easy chicken dinners for busy weeknights? Don't miss my recipes for Blackened Chicken, Chicken and Bok Choy Stir-Fry, and Chicken and Broccoli.
Chicken and Green Beans at a Glance
- Serves: 4; more if served over rice, pasta, quinoa, or potatoes
- Ready in 20 Minutes: This easy one-pan dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with chicken, fresh green beans, tomatoes, lemon, balsamic vinegar, and thyme.
- Allergy-Friendly: Gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and lower in carbs. Skip the Parmesan to keep it dairy-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30-friendly.
- Why You Will Love It: The quick lemon-balsamic pan sauce makes this simple skillet dinner taste fresh, bright, and far more flavorful than the ingredient list suggests.
Recipe Highlights
Kristen's Keys for Chicken Green Bean Skillet
To turn simple ingredients into a fresh, flavorful dinner in about 20 minutes, these tips matter most.
- Cut the chicken evenly. Bite-sized pieces cook quickly and evenly, which keeps the chicken tender instead of dry.
- Use a large skillet. Crowding the pan causes the chicken to steam instead of brown, and those golden edges equal a lot of flavor.
- Add garlic after the vegetables. Garlic burns quickly, so adding it later keeps it fragrant instead of bitter.
- Finish with lemon juice off the heat. This keeps the flavor bright and fresh.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs. Cut the chicken into even bite-sized pieces so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
- Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes work best because they are sweet year-round and do not need to be seeded.
- Green Beans: Fresh green beans give the best crisp-tender texture. Thin frozen green beans can be used if thawed and patted dry first.
- Chicken Stock: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock to control the salt in the final dish.
- Thyme: Opt for fresh thyme or a small pinch of dried thyme leaves. Never use ground thyme, as the flavor is overpowering.
- Balsamic Vinegar: I don't recommend swapping the balsamic for another vinegar. Its tangy, slightly sweet flavor gives the pan sauce depth.
- Lemon: Use both the zest and juice. The zest adds concentrated lemon flavor, while the juice brightens the dish at the end.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan is optional but adds a nice finish to this recipe. I recommend using freshly grated Parmesan from a wedge or tub sold in the refrigerated section, not from a shelf-stable canister. Omit to keep this skillet dairy-free.
How to Make Chicken and Green Beans Skillet
This chicken green bean skillet works because each ingredient is added at the right time. The chicken browns first for flavor, the green beans and tomatoes cook just long enough to soften without turning mushy, and the quick pan sauce pulls everything together.
- Brown chicken. Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until golden on each side. We aren't looking to cook the chicken fully yet, just beginning to build flavor.
- Add green beans and tomatoes. Once the chicken has browned, add the green beans and tomatoes and sauté for 1-2 minutes, letting the green beans begin to soften and turn bright green.
- Add garlic. Add the garlic and sauté for just 1 minute to lightly toast the garlic.
- Add stock and season. Add the chicken stock, lemon zest, thyme leaves, and balsamic vinegar to the skillet, tossing to coat the chicken and veggies.
- Simmer. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F and the green beans are crisp-tender.
- Add lemon and Parmesan. Remove the skillet from the heat, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and veggies, and toss to coat. If desired, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I like to grate a wedge right over the skillet.
Serving Suggestions
Packed with protein and vegetables, this chicken and green beans skillet can stand on its own as a lighter dinner. That said, I often pair it with a side or two to make dinner stretch a bit further.
- As a Bowl: Serve the chicken, green beans, and pan sauce over Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot white rice, or Instant Pot quinoa to make dinner stretch further.
- Add a Side: Serve the chicken green bean skillet alongside roasted red potatoes, roasted fingerling potatoes, or orzo rice.
- Add a Salad: Add even more veggies to your dinner plate by pairing this chicken skillet with a copycat Panera Greek salad, BLT salad, or spinach bacon salad.
Recipe Modifications
- No Tomatoes? If you don't happen to have fresh tomatoes, simply omit them from the recipe. The green beans and chicken will shine on their own.
- For Soft Green Beans: I love the crisp-tender bite the fresh green beans retain when simply sautéed in a skillet. However, if you prefer softer green beans, I recommend blanching or steaming them before adding them to the sauté pan with the chicken.
- Add White Wine: Swap the chicken stock for a dry white wine, like a Sauvingnon Blanc or Pinot Grigio and omit the blasamic vinegar. Rather than being sweet and tangy, the chicken and green beans will have a clean, acidic flavor.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken and green beans in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe, as the tomatoes and green beans can become watery and soft after thawing.
- Reheat: Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. Add a splash of broth if the chicken seems dry.
More Easy Skillet Dinner Ideas
For more quick, family-friendly dinners made with simple ingredients, try one of these easy skillet recipes next.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Chicken and Green Beans
Ready in 20 minutes, this simple skillet dinner brings together tender chicken, crisp green beans, and juicy tomatoes in an irresistible tangy pan sauce!
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, + more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, + more to taste
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed
- 1 medium fresh lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, season the cubed chicken with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until the chicken has a golden exterior but isn't fully cooked through.
- Once the chicken has browned, add the trimmed green beans and halved tomatoes to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for just 30-60 seconds to toast.
- Add ¼ cup low-sodium chicken stock, lemon zest, thyme, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the beans are just crisp-tender.
- Turn off the heat, add the fresh lemon juice, and serve with parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Lemon Juice: If you don't have fresh lemons, do NOT substitute jarred lemon juice. Instead, add an extra teaspoon of balsamic to round out the flavor.
Frozen Green Beans: You can substitute defrosted, thin-cut green beans (not thick-cut) for fresh.
Option for Soft Green Beans: For green beans that lack a crisp-tender bite, I recommend blanching or steaming them before adding them to the skillet. To blanch the green beans, drop them into boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Alternatively, place the green beans in a large heat-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3-4 minutes.
Storage: Cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 689mgPotassium: 613mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1360IUVitamin C: 42.7mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is a terrific tasting and easy to make recipe from Kristen. I added one fresh ear of cut corn from my local Walmart. Great healthy ingredients!
Love hearing you enjoyed David! And great idea to add the corn!
Made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! Followed the recipe pretty much, used French green beans and even though thinner, they still came out crisp, but just the way I like them. Added wine so didn’t use balsamic vinegar, but when plating I added a splash of balsamic glaze before the Parmesan and it was just right. My husband also loved the dish and I know we will be making it again soon, and often.
Thank you for sharing, Susan! I am thrilled you and your husband enjoyed this simple recipe. Love the addition of a balsamic glaze too 🙂
Made this and it was amazing quick healthy great start for meal prepping
Thanks for sharing, Natalie! So happy to hear you enjoyed.
I love this quick on bust weeknights, especially with sports practice for the kids. They love this one and I know they'll gobble it up!
I love hearing this, Sandra! Thank you for taking the time to share.
This is one of my favorite meals. I love that it’s easy, quick and you get a lot of flavor “bang” for the buck.
Thanks so much for sharing, JoAnne! I do love this simple meal as well.
Hi,
Can I substitute broccoli for the tomatoes? I have a sensitivity to tomatoes.
Thanks!
Pam
Yes! The broccoli may need a bit longer to cook. Feel free to use additional green beans as well.
If you use something other than tomatoes you won’t get the tomato juices in the sauce so the dish will come out drier. If you want more sauce, you could add a little more broth.
So good! I am making this again. I may steam my beans first next time. I enjoy the crunch however. The flavors are spot on!!!
Thanks for sharing, Beth! Love hearing you enjoyed this simple skillet. And yes, steaming the beans will soften them more if you like them that way 🙂