Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Skillet Chicken and Green Beans
Dinner doesn't need a long supporting cast when the chicken and green beans have this much going for them. The lemony pan sauce is the part you'll want on every bite. Keep the optional heat gentle or turn it up if that's what sounds good tonight.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 16 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Thin chicken cooks more evenly
If you're using breasts, cut them in half before seasoning. Thinner pieces cook through in the skillet without leaving the outside overdone, and the spice mix has more surface to cling to.
2. Use the same pan for the sauce
After the chicken comes out, leave the skillet as it is. The garlic, chili sauce, stock, and lemon go into that pan, picking up the seasoning and butter left behind.
3. Microwave the beans first
The green beans get a head start in the microwave, then finish in the skillet. That keeps the chicken time simple and lets you simmer the beans until they land where you like them.
Get to know the ingredients
Chicken thighs or breasts
Both boneless, skinless thighs and breasts work here. Breasts should be cut thinner before cooking, while thighs can go straight into the seasoning after you pat them dry.
Green beans
Start with trimmed green beans and cook them with water in the microwave before they hit the skillet. They'll still get time with the stock, lemon, and garlic, so don't skip that second simmer.
Sriracha or sweet chili sauce
This is optional, but it changes the mood of the pan sauce. Sriracha brings more heat, while sweet chili sauce keeps things a little softer and sweeter alongside the lemon.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Skillet Chicken and Green Beans
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Slide the chicken back into the skillet after the beans have simmered. The garnish is up to you: chopped parsley, lemon slices, or freshly grated parmesan all fit the finish without needing another step.
A little more help as you go
Don't rush the first minute of sauce
Give the minced garlic, optional chili sauce, and chili flakes their minute in the skillet before adding the liquid. It takes the raw edge off the garlic and lets the heat bloom a bit.
Season before the chicken hits the pan
Mix the dry spices together first, then season both sides of the chicken. It's easier to get an even coating that way than sprinkling each spice straight over the pan.
A few questions you might have
Do I need to cook the green beans all the way in the microwave?
They cook in the microwave first, then simmer in the skillet with stock and lemon until they reach your preferred tenderness.
Should I wipe out the skillet after cooking the chicken?
The directions keep everything in the same skillet. Add the garlic, optional heat, green beans, stock, and lemon after the chicken comes out so the sauce builds on what's already in the pan.
Can I leave out the spicy ingredients?
Yes. Both the Sriracha or sweet chili sauce and the crushed red chili pepper flakes are optional, so you can skip either or both and still make the skillet with garlic, stock, and lemon.
How do I know when to return the chicken to the pan?
Return it after the green beans have simmered for 5 minutes or reached the texture you want. Push the beans to the side, then add the cooked chicken back to the skillet.
Is the black pepper at the end different from the pepper in the spice mix?
Mix the measured pepper with the other dry seasonings, then season both sides of the chicken with that mixture.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: gimmedelicious.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.