This easy one pan meal is filled with juicy seared lemon chicken breasts, steam-roasted broccoli, and tender white beans, all cooked in a zippy sauce made from caramelized lemon slices and onions. It’s such a light and simple spring dinner that easily goes from stovetop to oven in a single skillet!
Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breasts with Broccoli and Cannellini Beans
My family loved my lemon chicken and zucchini, so I wanted to try another fresh one pot dinner! I took the flavor of my favorite lemon rosemary chicken, and paired it with roasted broccoli and creamy cannellini beans to create a simple yet nourishing meal in less than an hour.
I build layers of flavor by browning the chicken and caramelizing the lemon slices in the same skillet. Then as everything roasts, the lemon and rosemary perfume the whole pan, creating a mellow yet fresh herb-y flavor. Because everything cooks together in the same pan, the cleanup is minimal. So I can focus on enjoying my meal instead!
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Make it Creamy without Cream
Before you nestle the chicken back into the skillet, take a fork or a potato masher and gently crush about ¼ cup of the white beans directly into the pan liquid (the water and chicken juices). Because white beans are incredibly starchy, mashing even just a few of them will release their natural starches, thickening the water and creating a creamier sauce without the need for any cream!
One Pan Lemon Chicken, Broccoli, and White Bean Skillet
Equipment
- Oven-Safe Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 small lemon (sliced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 15 ounces canned cannellini beans (drained and rinsed**)
- ¼ cup water
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (***)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position.
- Season both sides of the chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and all of the pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 0.75 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the lemon slices to the skillet and cook for 1-1½ minutes per side, until softened and lightly browned. Remove and set aside with the chicken.1 small lemon
- Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to the skillet. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Remove from heat and add the broccoli. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir to coat. Add the white beans and water, stirring gently to combine.0.25 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cups broccoli florets, 15 ounces canned cannellini beans, ¼ cup water
- Nestle the chicken back into the skillet along with its juices, and tuck the rosemary sprigs under the pieces. Arrange the lemon slices over the top.2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 18-22 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the broccoli is tender.
Notes
- If your chicken breasts are uneven thicknesses, use a meat mallet to lightly pound the thickest pat of the breast to a uniform thickness of about ¾ inch. This will help them cook more evenly.
- While the lemons help deglaze the pan, if you find lots of stuck on browned bits after cooking the onions and garlic, you can deglaze further with a splash of lemon juice, white wine, or water.
- Make sure the broccoli florets get fully wet and saucy before they go into the oven. Otherwise, you may end up with dry, crunchy bits.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer everything to a baking dish before roasting.
- The lemon slices will soften up in the oven so you can enjoy them along with the chicken. However, if you’re not a fan of the big pieces, you can remove them and chop them into smaller pieces before stirring back into the beans and broccoli.
- This dish is best served warm right from the oven, when the beans are creamy and the broccoli has slight crispness. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice for a pop of freshness.
- Serve with a simple green salad, garlic toast, or a side of farro or couscous to soak up the pan juices. A chilled white wine like Sauvignon Blanc complements the lemon-herb balance beautifully.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Lemon Chicken and Broccoli Skillet Step by Step
Prep: Gather up everything you need to make this lemon herb chicken skillet recipe. Preheat your oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. Slice the lemon and onion, mince the garlic, chop the broccoli into small florets, and drain and rinse the beans.
Sear the Chicken: Pat 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with ¾ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside. We’re not aiming to cook the chicken through at this point. We just want to create some flavorful caramelization (fond) in the pan to season the veggies and beans later. This step also locks in moisture so the chicken stays juicy through roasting.
Cook the Lemons: Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 small lemon, cut into slices, to the skillet and cook for 1-1½ minutes per side, or until softened and lightly browned and softened. Remove and set aside with the chicken. The juices from the lemon also deglaze the pan and pick up color and flavor from the fond.
Sauté the Onion and Garlic: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 chopped medium yellow onion to the skillet. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute more. The onions go in before garlic so they can soften without burning the garlic, while the quick one-minute cook on garlic infuses the oil with rich flavor without bitterness.
Add the Broccoli and Beans: Remove the pan from the heat and add 3 cups of broccoli florets. Turning off the heat stops the aromatics from overcooking while the broccoli gets coated in the flavorful oil and seasonings. This ensures the florets roast tender-crisp in the oven, not mushy. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and stir to coat. Add 15 ounces (1 can) of drained and rinsed white beans and ¼ cup of water, stirring gently to combine. The small amount of water creates gentle steam during roasting, helping the broccoli cook evenly while keeping the chicken moist. For a creamier sauce, use a fork to mash about ¼ cup of the beans into the liquid now.
Add Back the Chicken: Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet along with their accumulated juices, and tuck 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs under the pieces. Arrange the sautéed lemon slices over the top. Nestling the chicken into the beans and tucking rosemary underneath allows the herbs to infuse from the bottom up. Placing the lemon slices on top ensures even caramelization and a bright finish.
Roast the Chicken: Transfer your skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 18-22 minutes; or until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the broccoli is tender. Keeping the skillet uncovered allows the edges of the broccoli and lemon to brown, building flavor and texture contrast. Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes to redistribute the juices. The lemon slices will have softened up in the oven to become caramelized and slightly sweet (similar to preserved lemon), so go ahead and eat them with the chicken. Alternatively, remove the lemon slices after roasting, mince them finely, and stir them into the broccoli and bean mix to infuse the lemon flavor throughout the dish.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover lemon chicken, broccoli, and white beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the oven with a splash of water or broth to prevent dryness.
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