Baked Lemon and Thyme Chicken with Herbed White Beans
Prep Time: 30 minutes
(includes marinating chicken)
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 2
We’re on a chicken kick lately because we really like the baking dish method. Skillet chicken is fine but sometimes our results are inconsistent. Baking chicken produces juicier meat and adding everything to a single dish is super easy and allows flavors to meld while cooking. I also love an excuse to add Castelvetrano olives to any dish.
Chicken Ingredients
8 ounces chicken (2 boneless, skinless breasts), thawed
coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 thyme sprigs
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, torn
White Bean Ingredients
½ cup chives, chopped
½ cup cilantro
½ cup parsley leaves, tightly packed
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus ½ cup
coarse kosher salt, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained, we use cannellini
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup vegetable stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 parmesan rind
Chicken Preparation
Pat thawed chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
When the chicken is ready to cook, heat the oven to 425° degrees F.
Place chicken into a small baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add the olives, half of the lemon slices, garlic, and thyme sprigs.
Bake chicken for 35 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and move the dish to the top rack for 2 more minutes to slightly brown the outside of the chicken.
Remove from the oven and discard thyme sprigs.
White Bean Preparation
In a blender, combine chives, cilantro, and parsley. Pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil, and pulse until everything is well mixed and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice. Salt to taste and set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Pour in beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. With the back of a spoon smash about 1/4 of the beans and stir together with the rest of the beans.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a slow simmer. Add parmesan rind and cook beans until they become slightly creamy and liquid is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes.
Smash additional beans and add 1 tablespoon of water, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
Remove parmesan rind and transfer beans to a bowl. Mix in herb oil, saving a little in a small bowl for serving. Season with coarse kosher salt to taste.
To serve
Divide chicken, olives, and crushed garlic between two plates and our cooking juices over top. Add additional uncooked lemon slices. Serve with white beans and extra herbed oil on the side.
