Mediterranean Chicken & White Bean Skillet
Seared chicken thighs simmered with white beans, tomatoes, spinach, and feta
Chicken thighs sear until golden, then simmer in one skillet with cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and oregano until the beans turn creamy, finished with wilted spinach, olives, and crumbled feta.
Why crews like it: Genuinely one-pot and bean-forward rather than another grain bowl—beans make it filling and add fiber without extra starch. Feels like a rustic Mediterranean stew, not a diet dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless chicken thighs
- 3 cans cannellini beans
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 8 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 whole lemon
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 0.5 cup kalamata olives
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Sear the chicken: Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Sear in oil over medium-high 4–5 minutes per side until deeply golden. Remove to a plate; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Build the base: In the same skillet, cook onion 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and oregano, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Simmer with beans and tomatoes: Add beans, cherry tomatoes, and broth. Nestle chicken back into the skillet, cover, and simmer 15–18 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and tomatoes have burst into the sauce.
- Wilt in spinach: Stir in lemon juice and spinach a few handfuls at a time until wilted. Sauce should look thick and stew-like, not watery.
- Top with olives and feta: Top with olives and crumbled feta right before serving so the feta stays creamy rather than fully melting into the sauce.
Tonight's spread
- Crusty bread for scraping the pan.
- Simple green salad.
Hall tips
- Smash a few beans against the side of the pan partway through simmering for a naturally thicker sauce.
- Crusty bread or a small portion of rice on the side rounds this into a full meal.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes at the start adds background heat without overpowering.
Meal prep
Sear the chicken skin-side down first if using skin-on thighs for extra flavor in the pan before the beans go in. Station: Don't rinse all the liquid off the beans—a little bean liquid helps the sauce thicken naturally. Station: Nestle chicken back into the beans skin-side up so it doesn't turn soggy while simmering. Station: Crusty bread on the side is non-negotiable for scraping up the sauce.
Leftovers
- Reheats beautifully—flavor deepens the next day.
- Freezes well without the spinach and feta; add those fresh after reheating.
- Large deep skillet or Dutch oven
Related recipes
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Tray
- Chicken Fajitas
- Honey Garlic Chicken Bowls
- White Bean Chicken Chili
- Barbacoa Chicken
- Shawarma Chicken Bowls