This simple chicken skillet recipe is made just 20 minutes with tender chicken, crisp-tender green beans, fresh tomatoes, and a rich, acidic lemon garlic pan sauce.
1poundboneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighscut into 1 inch chunks
1teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoonblack pepper
1poundfresh green beanstrimmed
1pintcherry or grape tomatoeshalved
1sprigfresh thymeor 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2clovesgarlic clovesminced
1tablespoonbalsamic vinegar
¼cuplow-sodium chicken stock
1mediumfresh lemonjuice and zest
Parmesan Cheeseoptional
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken to skillet and brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side.
Once the chicken has browned, add green beans, and tomatoes to skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for just 1 minute longer to toast.
Add in chicken broth, lemon zest, thyme, and balsamic vinegar. 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 and add the juice of the fresh lemon and serve with Parmesan Cheese if desired.
Video
Notes
Replace Chicken Stock with Wine: Feel free to use a dry white wine, like chardonnay or pinot grigio, in place of the chicken stock. Be sure to omit the addition of the balsamic though, as the wine and lemon juice will be acidic enough. Frozen Green Beans: 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 beansTomato Options: 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.Fresh Thyme: If you don't have fresh thyme, leave out the thyme altogether or substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (not ground thyme.)Option for Soft Green Beans: For green beans that do not have a crisp-tender bite to them, I recommend either blanching or steaming the green beans 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. Lemon Juice: 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.