Skillet Chicken with White Beans and Caramelized Lemon

by Copicut Staff September 25, 2018

Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 shallot, peeled and cut into thin wedges
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts (about 4 to 6)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1(15-ounce) can small white beans (such as Great Northern, navy or cannellini) or chickpeas
1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into large pieces
Flaky sea salt
Olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation

Toss lemon slices and shallots together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper; set aside. (I used a half of small onion in place of the shallot.)
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken, skin-side down. Press the chicken evenly into the skillet (with spatula) so it makes even contact with the hot surface. Cook until the skin is deeply golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. At this stage, most of the fat should be rendered and the skin should be crispy. Flip and continue to cook until pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees (approx. another 7-10 minutes)
Transfer chicken to a plate to rest, leaving all the fat behind. Add lemon and shallot (or onion) to the chicken fat. Cook, swirling the skillet, until the lemon has started to caramelize and brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans have started to brown a bit and soak up all of that caramelized lemon chicken fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Working in batches, add kale and toss to wilt, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.
Return the chicken to the skillet, along with any juices that have collected on the plate, and cook for a minute or two, just so everything gets to know each other in there.
Divide the chicken, beans and kale between plates, making sure to top each serving with a few lemon slices. Sprinkle with flaky salt and a final few turns of pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

Recipe courtesy Alison Roman, The New York Times
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019382-skillet-chicken-with-white-beans-and-caramelized-lemon