Lemon Garlic Chicken and Green Beans Skillet

Chicken and green beans in a cast iron skillet.

Lemon Garlic Chicken and Green Beans Skillet

This lemon garlic chicken and green beans recipe is unbelievably tender and flavorful, and comes together in just half an hour. Using a Chinese technique called velveting results in the juiciest, most tender chicken for this skillet dinner. It's a perfect easy weeknight meal even my kids love! Serve with rice or buttered egg noodles.

Servings

Calories 395kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 large lemon zested
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal recommended (see note)
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the stir fry

1 lb green beans
2 tablespoons butter divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ large lemons juiced, to taste

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. Cut chicken into thin slices or bite sized pieces. Mix together lemon zest, 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add raw chicken and toss until the mixture is well-distributed on the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes while you prepare the green beans.
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken, 1 large lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon baking soda
Blanch the green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and boil for 4-6 minutes, until tender-crisp. These will only cook a tiny bit more in the final stir fry, so cook them to barely under where you want them. Remove green beans to a bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking and keep the color bright green.
1 lb green beans
Prep your pan. Preheat a sauté pan or cast iron skillet to medium high heat, and add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter is melted and sizzling a little, add the chicken.
2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cook the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes before moving the chicken to let the first side sear a bit. If it's sticking, give it another 30 seconds or so for the crust to release from the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, or until chicken has no visible pink and is nearly cooked through.
Deglaze and add green beans. Deglaze the pan with ⅓ cup of water, scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Add drained green beans into the mix with an additional ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until green beans are heated through again. You can let them get a little brown on them if you'd like.
½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Finish the sauce. Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon cold butter and fresh lemon juice. Start with juice from 1 lemon, and add the extra half if needed, to taste. Some lemons are much more potent than others! Mix until butter melts and dish is well-combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2 tablespoons butter, 1 ½ large lemons
Enjoy! Serve with rice or buttered egg noodles.

Notes

If starting from frozen chicken, make sure it is completely thawed before mixing with spices and baking soda, or it won't properly tenderize.

Thinner green beans like haricots verts will take less time to blanch, so test them after 2 minutes.

I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is light and flaky. If you use another brand like Morton, you may need a little less salt.

Nutrition