Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with Green Beans (One Pan)

Ingredients

• about 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 12 oz green beans (trimmed and rinsed)
• 1 lemon (for juice; watch for seeds)
• fresh parsley, optional garnish
• salt, to taste
• onion powder, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• Creole seasoning (I use Tony's), to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (jarred or fresh)
• 1/2 stick butter (for the pan sauce), plus about 1 whole stick more (first half added to the pan, second half placed on top of the chicken)

How to Make It

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. While the pan heats, place the chicken thighs in a bowl and coat them completely with the remaining olive oil.
3. Season the chicken with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Creole seasoning, and mix until evenly coated.
4. Place the chicken in the hot pan and sear for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes on the other side.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan (it will finish cooking later with the green beans).
7. Add 1/2 stick of butter to the same pan and scrape up the browned seasoning bits.
8. Stir in the minced garlic.
9. Add a little lemon juice, fishing out any seeds that drop in.
10. Stir the butter, garlic, and lemon juice together well.
11. Add the green beans and mix to coat.
12. Return the chicken to the pan.
13. Add about 1 whole stick of butter — first half into the pan, second half on top of the chicken.
14. Cover with the lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the green beans are tender, checking periodically.

Curtis's Tips

• I skin the thighs, but keeping the skin on is completely up to you.
• You can buy green beans already trimmed and rinsed at the store to save prep.
• Parsley is optional.
• Fully lathering the chicken in olive oil helps the seasoning stick instead of rolling off.
• Jarred minced garlic is "just way easier," but fresh garlic works too.
• Any Creole seasoning works if you don't have Tony's.
• Don't get discouraged by dark bits when you flip the chicken — that's just seasoning that overcooked a little; it still comes out amazing.
• Be careful to remove any lemon seeds that fall into the pan.
• The chicken isn't fully cooked after searing — it finishes cooking covered with the green beans.
• Doneness cue: green beans tender, about 10-15 minutes covered; my batch took 15 minutes.