Description
Mouthwatering lemon garlic butter chicken skillet combines zesty Mediterranean flavors with simple ingredients. Home cooks can savor this quick, elegant dinner that delivers restaurant-quality taste in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 lb (1 pound) green beans, trimmed
- 3 tbsps (tablespoons) butter (or ghee for paleo diet)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp (tablespoon) hot sauce (e.g., Sriracha)
- 1 tsp (teaspoon) paprika
- 1 tsp (teaspoon) onion powder
- ¼ tsp (teaspoon) salt
- ¼ tsp (teaspoon) fresh cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp (teaspoon) crushed red chili pepper flakes (optional)
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Seasoning Preparation: Blend onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper into a dynamic spice mixture, then thoroughly coat chicken thighs, allowing ingredients to marinate at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Green Bean Prepping: Steam green beans in microwave until tender-crisp, ensuring vibrant color and optimal texture.
- Chicken Searing: Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, strategically position chicken thighs skin-side down, and cook until golden-brown crust develops (5-6 minutes per side), ensuring internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Sauce Creation: Remove chicken, then utilize identical skillet to craft a flavor-rich sauce by combining remaining butter, garlic, parsley, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes, sautéing green beans simultaneously for 4-5 minutes.
- Liquid Infusion: Pour lemon juice and chicken stock into skillet, reducing liquid to create a glossy, concentrated sauce that harmonizes all ingredients.
- Final Assembly: Reintroduce chicken to skillet, gently coating with aromatic sauce, then plate with green beans and garnish with additional red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges for a visually stunning presentation.
Notes
- Dry Chicken Thoroughly: Removing excess moisture ensures perfect golden-brown caramelization and prevents steaming instead of searing.
- Season Early: Allow spice mixture to sit on chicken for 10-15 minutes at room temperature to enhance flavor penetration and tenderize meat.
- Control Skillet Heat: Maintain medium-low temperature to prevent butter burning and achieve even, consistent cooking without scorching.
- Sauce Reduction Technique: Let liquid simmer and reduce slowly to create a rich, glossy sauce that coats chicken and green beans with maximum flavor intensity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg