Name: Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans
Ingredients: 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pound dried medium-sized white beans, soaked in water 8 hours or overnight; 2 cups diced yellow onions, from 1 large or 2 small onions ((about 10 ounces)); 1 1/4 cups diced green bell peppers, from 1 large or 2 small peppers ((about 6 ounces)); 1/2 cup diced celery, from about 2 stalks ((about 3.5 ounces)); 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ((optional)); 6 cups chicken stock; 2 bay leaves; 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds ((or a pinch of ground fennel)); 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

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Does your family love authentic baked beans? I highly recommend giving these Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans a try.

What we have here is an awesome alternative to baking those beans. No need to heat up your oven. This deliciousness happens on your stovetop. With just one pan.

And there’s a bonus …as the chicken thighs hang out in that flavorful concoction, they end up absorbing an enormous amount of flavor.

What you’ll need to make your Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans…

Chicken thighs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are recommended here rather than chicken breasts since the breasts would become dry. The thighs impart a natural richness and tend to stay tender & delicious during the roasting process.
Kosher salt – If need be, table salt can be used with caution. Table salt is finer and more dense than kosher salt, so a teaspoon of table salt will contain more actual salt than a teaspoon of kosher salt. When substituting, use about two-thirds the amount of table salt specified in a recipe using kosher salt.
Coarsely ground black pepper – Freshly ground.
Olive oil – I typically use extra-virgin olive oil. It’s a healthy choice and adds a pronounced peppery fruity flavor.
Dried beans – Soaked well. Choose medium-size white beans here. Cannellini beans work well. Be sure to allow time for a lengthy soak, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Onion – Diced. White, yellow or sweet onions may be used.
Green bell pepper – Diced. Recommended over the red, orange or yellow bell pepper varieties. Green bell peppers are actually unripe bell peppers, characterized by their less sweet, slightly bitter taste, crisp texture, and vibrant green color.
Celery – Diced.
Garlic – Minced. To avoid unwanted chunks, use your garlic press or cheese grater.
Crushed red pepper flakes – Also known as Peperoncino flakes, these spicy flakes are optional but recommended. Just a pinch can add heat and flavor to the final dish.
Chicken stock – Use your favorite prepared broth or stock here. If you happen to have some homemade chicken stock on standby, by all means use that.
Bay leaves – Bay leaf adds a subtle, herbal, and slightly floral flavor, with notes of thyme and oregano. Remove & discard before serving.
Fennel seeds – Fennel seeds offer a distinctive anise-like flavor, described as sweet and warming with a subtle licorice note. Or a pinch of ground fennel can be used.
Light brown sugar – In contrast to its white counterpart, brown sugar boasts a richer, caramel-like, slightly nutty flavor due to its molasses content.
Ketchup – To avoid corn syrup & bioengineered ingredients, I always reach for organic ketchup.
Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce is a fermented liquid condiment known for its complex, savory, and tangy flavor. It’s a made with a base of vinegar and flavored with ingredients like anchovies, molasses, tamarind, onion, garlic, and various spices.
Coarse grain mustard – Also known as whole-grain or stone-ground mustard, coarse grain mustard is a rustic condiment made from partially crushed mustard seeds soaked in vinegar or wine. Unlike smooth yellow mustard, it retains whole seeds, giving it a crunchy “caviar-like” texture and a complex, earthy flavor.
Apple cider vinegar – Apple cider vinegar has a tart, tangy, and slightly sour taste with a hint of fruity sweetness. Adds complex flavor.
Scallions – Thinly sliced to be used as a garnish.

Did I already mention that these Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans are created in one pan? So awesome.

To begin, sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt & pepper.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium.
Sear the chicken thighs, skin side down, in the hot oil, until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
Turn the chicken over, and cook until browned on the other side, about 5 more minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside.
Allow the flavorful pan drippings to remain in the skillet.

While the thighs are cooking, there’s some prep work to be done…

Drain the presoaked beans.
Place them in the same skillet coated with the pan drippings.
Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), chicken stock, bay leaves, and fennel seeds.
Bring to a boil.

A few recipe notes…

For the beans, choose a variety that is medium-sized such as cannellini beans.

If you’re looking for a low-oxalate bean choice, black-eyed peas would work well.

On those spicy red pepper flakes …I use 1/2 teaspoon and it gives the dish a very subtle kick. The original recipe calls for 3X that amount but I wouldn’t suggest using that much unless your entire gang enjoys their food with some serious spicy heat!

If you need this to be gluten-free, check to be sure that your Worcestershire sauce is Certified GF and you’re good to go.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer until the beans are tender for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Stir the brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, and remaining salt into the mixture.
This is where the barbecue flavor happens.
When combined, return the chicken to the skillet and nestle them within the mix.
Simmer until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.

Let’s talk about that chicken…

The original recipe for this delicious dish comes from chef, Todd Richards in his 2018 cookbook titled, SOUL: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes. He mentions that in his family they always loved having the extra beans with this dish. I tend to agree …if you are serving this along with other dishes for a gathering, the ratio of chicken to beans is perfect.

But here’s another thought …why not add some extra chicken to the mix? Just be sure to use a large enough skillet to hold it all. The skillet used here is similar to this one …it measures 12” wide and holds about 96 ounces. There is definitely adequate juice in there to handle more chicken. No worries about the chicken or beans being too dry.

Your Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans are almost ready…

When you turn off the heat, you’ll notice that there’s quite a bit of extra sauciness goin’ on.

It’s important to let it all take a rest for about 25 minutes before serving. It will thicken up considerably during that time.

You’ll see. Enjoy!

Chicken Thighs with Barbecue Beans

Adapted from Chef Todd Williams' cookbook, SOUL

One-pan stovetop wonder that rivals the most authentic baked beans.

Servings 4 servings

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound dried medium-sized white beans, soaked in water 8 hours or overnight
2 cups diced yellow onions, from 1 large or 2 small onions (about 10 ounces)
1 1/4 cups diced green bell peppers, from 1 large or 2 small peppers (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup diced celery, from about 2 stalks (about 3.5 ounces)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
6 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds (or a pinch of ground fennel)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium. Sear the chicken thighs, skin side down, in the hot oil, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and cook until browned on the other side, about 5 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside. Allow the pan drippings to remain in the skillet.
Drain the beans and add them to the skillet along with the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), chicken stock, bay leaves, and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir the brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon of salt into the pan. When combined, return the chicken to the pan, and simmer until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Let stand for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and thinly sliced scallions before serving.

Recipe Notes

For the beans, choose a variety that is medium-sized such as cannellini beans.

If you're looking for a low-oxalate bean choice, black-eyed peas would work well.

On those spicy red pepper flakes ...I use 1/2 teaspoon and it gives the dish a very subtle kick. Adjust to your taste or omit the flakes.

If you need this to be gluten-free, check to be sure that your Worcestershire sauce is Certified GF and you’re good to go.

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