Saucy Lemon Chicken with Kale and Chickpeas

Saucy Lemon Chicken 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!

Saucy Lemon Chicken 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.

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.

Saucy LEMON CHICKEN WITH KALE AND CHICKPEAS

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.5 from 40 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Saucy Lemon Chicken 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

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• kosher salt

• ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 4 cups shredded curly or tuscan kale (about 6 ounces)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk

• zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)

• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

Directions

• Combine the garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon 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, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, add the chicken and cook until crisp and at an internal temperature of 165°F, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the oil behind in the skillet.
• In the same skillet, add the chickpeas and kale and sauté until the kale is wilted and the chickpeas are lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper, then set aside in a bowl.
• In the same skillet again, add the garlic and cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 1 minute (if needed, add an additional drizzle of olive oil to the pan). Add the coconut milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the pan as it heats. Season with another pinch of salt to taste.
• Once the sauce is at a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the kale and chickpeas, then return the chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the liquid.
• Cook on low until the 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.
• If desired, serve this dish over a cooked grain like jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or orzo to bulk it up.
• Salt: We’re seasoning at every step here for maxium flavor! Please note that this recipe uses kosher salt, not table salt. If you’re using table salt, you’ll want to half the amount of salt at each stage. If you are sensitive to saltiness, cut back slighlty and then you can add more if desired at the end.

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