Flavorful white beans, wilted spinach, and fall-off-the-bone tender chicken thighs come together in this incredibly easy Chicken Thighs and Brothy Beans one-pan dinner. It’s perfect for weeknights or anytime you want something simple but loaded with goodness.
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One-pan, easy win!
Weeknights are always chaotic, but we still need to eat and that’s where one-pan meals, such as my Mediterranean chicken and orzo, can really help out. I created this one-pan chicken thighs and brothy beans dinner when I was in the need of something fast and grabbed some of the ingredients I already had on hand in the fridge: chicken thighs, baby spinach, rosemary, and thyme.
Combined with the beans, this dish is similar to my pasta fagioli, minus the pasta, and is excellent on its own, but even better with some crusty bread.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. I’m using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs but you could also use boneless skinless thighs.
- Beans. For this recipe, I used dried butter beans which I soaked overnight. You can also use canned beans to make the recipe more convenient.
- Spinach. Baby spinach is a great addition here but you can also use kale or other hearty green.
- Herbs. I love the combo of fresh rosemary and dried thyme. You can use one or the other, or even another herb, such as fresh basil or dried oregano.
- Wine. Use a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Place the presoaked gigantes or butter beans in a large pot and fill with water. Bring the beans to a boil then, lower the heat to a moderate simmer. Once the beans are almost tender, drain in a colander and set aside. Note: if using canned beans, skip this process. Preheat the oven to 350°F and pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large oven safe pan to medium heat with olive oil and add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 8 minutes or until well browned. Flip the thighs over and cook for another 6-8 minutes, then transfer them to a plate and cover with tented foil.
- To the same pan, add the chopped onions along with a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft, then add the garlic and cook until golden.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes while stirring. If the paste starts to burn, add a splash of water or stock.
- Add the wine and turn the heat to high. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits.
- Once the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and the spinach and cover.
- Once the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes, uncover the pot and turn the heat to low. Add the beans, rosemary, thyme, and mix well to combine, then season with salt and pepper.
- Nestle the chicken thighs into the beans along with any juice from the plate they were resting on. Place the pan in the oven to bake for 35 minutes, and broil for the last 2 minutes to crisp up the skin. Remove from the oven and add the lemon zest. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper if needed. If the beans aren’t brothy enough, add a little extra stock or water until the desired consistency is reached. Serve the chicken thighs and beans with crusty bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and enjoy!
Top tips
- Save time. To save time and eliminate the need to simmer the beans, use 4 15-ounce cans of beans.
- Homemade chicken stock. Using homemade chicken stock in your chicken thighs and brothy beans will yield superior results and will give you greater control over the sodium levels in your dish.
- Customize. You can change up this dish by adding other ingredients, such as sundried tomatoes or olives. I like a little spice in my beans with chicken and spinach, so I always add some Calabrian chili paste.
More one-pan dinners
If you love one-pan dinners as much as we do, give these other recipes a try.
- One-pan salmon and spinach orzo
- Maple roasted chicken with root vegetables
- Easy Greek lemon chicken and potatoes
- Chicken thighs with fennel and cherry tomatoes
If you’ve enjoyed this One-Pan Chicken Thighs and Brothy Beans, give it a 5-star rating.
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One-Pan Chicken Thighs and Brothy Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried gigantes or butter beans soaked overnight or 4 15-ounce cans
- 8 chicken thighs trimmed of overhanging fat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 12 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 pound baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
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Instructions
- Place the presoaked beans in a large pot and fill with water. Bring the beans to a boil then lower the heat to a moderate simmer. Once the beans are almost tender, drain in a colander and set aside. Note: Skip this step if using canned beans.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 8 minute or until well browned. Turn the thighs over and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Place the cooked thighs on a plate and tent with foil.
- Add the onions to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Cook until soft (about 10 minutes) then add the garlic and cook until golden. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes while stirring. If the paste starts to burn, add a splash of water or stock.
- Add the wine and turn the heat to high. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the brown bits. Once the wine reduces by half, add the chicken stock and the spinach to the pan and cover. Once the spinach wilts (about 2 minutes) uncover the pot and turn the heat to low. Add the beans, rosemary, and thyme, and mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Nestle the chicken thighs into the beans and pour any juices into the pan as well. Place into the oven to bake for 35 minutes. Broil for the last 2 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- Remove from the oven and mix in the lemon zest. Taste test and make final adjusmtents to salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beans. Gigantic beans, butter beans, cannellini, or great northern all work well for this dish. Dried beans should be soaked overnight and then cooked until almost tender before using. 4 15-ounce cans of beans can be subbed for 1 pound of dried beans.
- Herbs. Use different herbs if you like. Fresh basil, oregano, and parsley all work well.
- Leftovers. Chicken thighs with beans and spinach can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing. My dad even complimented the meal without me asking. The only hitch I had was cooking the beans. I soaked the beans overnight but when I was ready to cook, I realized that I didn’t know how long I had to cook them. I checked online and the recipes were calling for around 2 hours! I decided to throw them in my pressure cooker for 25 min. I think that was too long, they were pretty much blown out, lol!! Dinner didn’t look like the pictures but it was very good!!! How long do you cook your beans? I assume that they finish cooking in the oven?? Thanks and I can’t wait for the cookbook!!
Hi James, it really depends on the beans, how long they’re soaked, and actually how old they are. After they’re soaked overnight, we will bring them to a boil, then lower the heat and keep them on a moderate simmer until almost tender. You can definitely skip the dried beans and use canned beans the next time you make if you’d prefer.
Can this recipe be done with boneless, skinless chicken breasts? What changes would be required?
You can, though you should only cook until the chicken breasts reach an internal temp of 165°F and then remove as they have a tendency to dry out.
I made this last week using kale and it was delicious. Your food fits the way l like to eat. In Spain we had a dish with beans and tomatoes. Do you have this in your cookbook that I have ordered
Hi Dianne, We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe. This one is not in the cookbook, but there are many other great chicken dishes in there!
This dish was so good! Easy to make and so much flavor! I added additional spinach!
So glad you enjoyed!
There is an Italian restaurant in my hometown that makes the best beans and greens. I always thought that if you threw in some chicken it would be the perfect one pot meal. Well here it is. I made some baguettes and my family and I stuffed ourselves. I can’t wait for a cool Fall day to make this again and sit around the table for a couple hours enjoying this meal.
We’re so glad you enjoyed, Erik!
Wow, did this turn out to be spectacular! The brothy beans almost remind me of ribollita soup (I think it’s the rosemary combined with the tomato-y broth). This dish was a huge hit in our house! I think I’ll make it again when the temps cool down a bit because it has that warming, comfy feel that’s perfect for a chilly day. And the crusty bread is definitely a must!
We’re so happy you liked this one, Crystal! Thanks for the comment!
Fabulous
I added fresh basil and Calabria chili’s
Love his recipes
So glad you enjoyed, Louise!
Another hit ! Delicious, and I’m eating it right now with some Italian bread, as recommended. The hubby loves it, too ! He added a little crushed red pepper to his. I chose a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano. So good !
So glad you and your hubby enjoyed, Debi!
Oh Jim
Wow!
So delicious!
Made this dish and having it tonight with some crusty bread!
Thank you!
Will keep this in rotation!
It’s raining here so this meal is perfect!
So happy you enjoyed it, Lou!
This was excellent! We did use canned beans, otherwise followed the recipe. It was so, sooooo good! Cannot wait to make this again. It would be a good recipe to use swapping beans with chunks of potatoes or even over bow ties. The crusty bread makes it!
Thank you for your content – we love your vids and make many of your recipes!
We are so happy you enjoyed, Penny! Thanks for the comment!
Jim – I love your recipes and videos. There just aren’t enough meals to cook and eat to try them all. I am all about convenience and flavor… you bring both. I can’t wait to try this one. Thanks!!
We’re so happy to hear that, Rick!
Thanks Jim, we love “sheet pan dinners” and so do many others!
They are great for working people, retired people like us when we are out working in the yard for the day or having friends for dinner and want to make dinner ahead of time!
Can’t wait to try this one, thanks, your recipes are always delicious!
We hope you enjoy it, Ellen!