Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 4-6 pieces)
  • 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 3 tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter, cold and cubed
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (approx. 3 tbsp juice)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.25 cup low-sodium chicken bone broth

Instructions:

  1. Pat the chicken thighs bone-dry with paper towels to ensure maximum crispiness. Season both sides aggressively with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
  2. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down into a cold 12-inch cast iron skillet. Drizzle the avocado oil around the pieces.
  3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Allow the chicken to render its fat slowly as the pan heats up. Sear for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deep golden and releases easily. The skin will be mahogany-colored and crispy.
  4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.
  5. Add the trimmed green beans to the skillet, tossing them in the rendered chicken fat. Move the beans to the perimeter of the pan.
  6. Add the minced garlic to the center of the pan and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant and pale tan. Deglaze the pan with chicken bone broth and lemon juice, scraping up the browned bits (fond).
  7. Whisk in the cold cubed butter and dried oregano to create an emulsified sauce. Return the chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them on top of the green beans.
  8. Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender crisp and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).