Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Kale and Chickpeas

Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Kale and Chickpeas is the perfect weeknight dinner that will leave you feeling cozy and satisfied every time you make it. The chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful, the lemon cream sauce is incredibly simple yet decadent, and the kale and chickpeas make for the perfect topping with a little crisp. This is a one-pan dinner (hello, minimal dishes!) that just makes life easier and tastier. It also happens to be gluten and dairy free!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Kale and Chickpeas Ingredients

Chicken Thighs: For this recipe, you’ll want to use boneless chicken thigs for best results. You can either use skin-on or skinless chicken thighs, depending on your preference. I have found that skin-on thighs are a bit easier to crisp up, but you will still get a crisp exterior on the skinless thighs.

Spices: The spices that you’ll need for this recipe are very simple. All you need is salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Combining the three makes for a great seasoning on pretty much anything. I also recommend using a bit of extra spice when you cook the kale and chickpeas for extra flavor.

Chickpeas: Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are used as a topping for this dish. While they are a great component of the dish, they are not necessary. If you choose to omit the chickpeas, this is a paleo-approved dish as well. Be sure to rinse your chickpeas with cold water before using for best results.

Kale: You’ll want to use de-stemmed, chopped kale leaves for this recipe. The leafy part of the kale is what you want to work with in order to get some crispy pieces to top off your chicken. You can omit the kale similarly to the chickpeas, or try subbing it with another green like spinach or collard greens.

Ghee: Ghee or butter is the base of the lemon cream sauce. I recommend ghee because it is a dairy free option that still gives you a buttery taste. However, feel free to use regular butter if you don’t have a preference. Alternatively, some extra avocado or olive oil will work as a substitute.

Garlic: Adding some fresh minced garlic to the sauce is a simple way to immediately upgrade the flavor of the lemon cream sauce. Let the garlic cook in the ghee for a few minutes until you can smell the flavors coming out. There really is nothing better than the smell of garlic sautéing!

Coconut Milk: Using a can of full-fat coconut milk in the lemon sauce is what adds all of the creaminess (and goodness in my opinion). I love using canned coconut milk in pretty much any sauce, as you guys probably know by this point. If you can’t find a canned option, coconut milk out of the carton will work, but will likely be thinner.

Lemon: For a strong lemon flavor, use an entire zest and juice of one lemon and put it directly in the sauce before bringing it to a simmer. The acidy of the lemon is a great contrast to the creamy coconut milk and makes for a delish sauce. Fresh lemons are best but you can also use a packaged lemon juice.

CREAMY LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS WITH KALE AND CHICKPEAS

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.4 from 14 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Kale and Chickpeas is the perfect weeknight dinner that will leave you feeling cozy and satisfied every time you make it. The chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful, the lemon cream sauce is incredibly simple yet decadent, and the kale and chickpeas make for the perfect topping with a little crisp. This is a one-pan dinner (hello, minimal dishes!) that just makes life easier and tastier. It also happens to be gluten and dairy free!

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Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

• 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups shredded curly kale, chopped (about 4 ounces)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (can substitute ghee, or oil)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk

• juice of one lemon

• zest of 1 lemon

Directions

• Combine the smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, and season both sides evenly with the spice mixture.
• In a large pan, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the chicken and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• To the same pan, add the rinsed chickpeas and chopped kale and sauté to a crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with additional spices if desired, then set aside.
• In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice and zest and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Once the sauce is simmering, reduce the heat to low and the chopped kale and chickpeas and the cooked chicken thighs. Cook on low until sauce is thickened and chicken is reheated, 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve, divide evenly among four plates.

Notes

• Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat it: From the refrigerator, microwave until warm, 2 to 3 minutes. From the freezer, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave in 30-second increments until warm.
• Serve with a side of steamed jasmine or brown rice.

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