This one pan dinner comes together quickly and is loaded with protein, lots of greens, and a whole lotta flavor! The beans and greens get cooked with garlic and then tossed in mustard and vinegar for a zesty base that gets topped with deliciously spiced chicken. Then it all gets topped with tangy yogurt, crunchy nuts, and herbs. Pickled red onions are optional but recommended!
Ingredient highlight
Beans! are a great way to get protein along with a heavy dose of fiber, complex carbs, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few. They are famous for making you fart (hehe) because of the specific sugars (oligosaccharides) they contain that we have trouble breaking down. Cooking your beans from scratch reduces the fart-causing substances!
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic or onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 6-8 cups blender kale (from about 2 large bunches)*
- 2 15 oz cans white or pinto beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 heaping cups)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Pickled red onions, for topping (optional)
- Chopped herbs (parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
- Chopped nuts, for topping
- Lemon wedges
For the herbed yogurt:**
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- *I like the texture of the blended kale, but you could also finely or roughly chop by hand (use 7-8 cups if chopping by hand). You can use any kind of finely chopped leafy green (kale, swiss chard, spinach, etc…or even brussels sprouts).
- **You could skip this step and just top with a dollop of yogurt and squeeze of lemon.
- No lid? ~ Place a baking sheet weighted down with something over the pan. Or get this universal lid that I have!
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken thighs in the paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, garlic or onion, and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes or until browned, then flip and cook for 1 more minute (they don’t need to be cooked through). Remove and transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, greens, beans, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together, for about 2 minutes to soften the greens, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Spread into an even later, then pour the water over top. Nestle the chicken thighs into the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice it up. If there’s a lot of water in the skillet, simmer uncovered for a minute or two, then turn off the heat.
- To the skillet, stir in the mustard and vinegar until combined (to make it easier to mix in, you could mix the mustard/vinegar together in a small bowl, then add it in).
- To make the herbed yogurt, add everything to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Serve the greens and beans topped with chicken, yogurt, pickled red onions (if using), herbs, and chopped nuts. Top with black pepper and squeeze lemon all over.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Prep 6-8 cups blender kale (or finely chop)
- Thinly slice or smash 3-4 cloves garlic
- Make the recipe
- Make yogurt sauce (if using)
- Pickled a red onions, for topping (optional)
- Chop herbs (parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute chicken with tofu. Cut the tofu into slabs or cubes, toss them in the spices along with 1-2 tablespoons of oil, and either pan-fry them or bake them in the oven. You could also make the beans and greens base and top with a couple of fried eggs or vegetarian sausage.
- To make dairy-free, use a dairy-free yogurt or skip the yogurt and top with avocado and a squeeze of lemon.
- Use any combination of spices to equal 3 ½ teaspoons.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover beans and chicken in the microwave until warmed through. Top with all the toppings. Be sure to squeeze lemon all over!
- Use the beans/greens as a base for bowls. You could eat for breakfast with a fried or scrambled eggs. Add it to salads or bowls for a veggie and fiber boost.
Servings 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic or onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 6-8 cups blender kale (from about 2 large bunches)*
- 2 15 oz cans white or pinto beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 heaping cups)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Pickled red onions, for topping (optional)
- Chopped herbs (parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
- Chopped nuts, for topping
- Lemon wedges
For the herbed yogurt:**
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- *I like the texture of the blended kale, but you could also finely or roughly chop by hand (use 7-8 cups if chopping by hand). You can use any kind of finely chopped leafy green (kale, swiss chard, spinach, etc…or even brussels sprouts).
- **You could skip this step and just top with a dollop of yogurt and squeeze of lemon.
- No lid? ~ Place a baking sheet weighted down with something over the pan. Or get this universal lid that I have!
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken thighs in the paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, garlic or onion, and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 3 minutes or until browned, then flip and cook for 1 more minute (they don’t need to be cooked through). Remove and transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, greens, beans, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together, for about 2 minutes to soften the greens, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Spread into an even later, then pour the water over top. Nestle the chicken thighs into the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice it up. If there’s a lot of water in the skillet, simmer uncovered for a minute or two, then turn off the heat.
- To the skillet, stir in the mustard and vinegar until combined (to make it easier to mix in, you could mix the mustard/vinegar together in a small bowl, then add it in).
- To make the herbed yogurt, add everything to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Serve the greens and beans topped with chicken, yogurt, pickled red onions (if using), herbs, and chopped nuts. Top with black pepper and squeeze lemon all over.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Prep 6-8 cups blender kale (or finely chop)
- Thinly slice or smash 3-4 cloves garlic
- Make the recipe
- Make yogurt sauce (if using)
- Pickled a red onions, for topping (optional)
- Chop herbs (parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute chicken with tofu. Cut the tofu into slabs or cubes, toss them in the spices along with 1-2 tablespoons of oil, and either pan-fry them or bake them in the oven. You could also make the beans and greens base and top with a couple of fried eggs or vegetarian sausage.
- To make dairy-free, use a dairy-free yogurt or skip the yogurt and top with avocado and a squeeze of lemon.
- Use any combination of spices to equal 3 ½ teaspoons.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover beans and chicken in the microwave until warmed through. Top with all the toppings. Be sure to squeeze lemon all over!
- Use the beans/greens as a base for bowls. You could eat for breakfast with a fried or scrambled eggs. Add it to salads or bowls for a veggie and fiber boost.
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