A great midweek-er in under 20 minutes

A great midweek-er, this chicken and beans winter warmer uses great flavours and hearty beans.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Serves: 2 – 3
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Ideal for: midweek meal

Chicken and beans midweek magic

There’s something deeply comforting about a pan of chicken thighs sizzling away — that moment the skin gets that nice golden crispness.

If you’re anything like me, that sound alone signals good things ahead.

Boneless chicken thighs crisped to absolute perfection, cozied up with chickpeas and lightly simmered in a splash of chicken stock, with a scattering of fresh, bright mange tout to finish.

What could be better for a quick, tasty midweek meal.

Flavour

Now — before we go any further — let’s talk about that chicken skin.

The goal is unapologetic crispiness.

And yes, the thighs are boneless, but if the butcher has left the skin on (as they should), you’re golden.

A generous — borderline scandalous — amount of cracked black pepper and some sea salt is key. Don’t be timid. This is your seasoning base, your flavour backbone.

Once the thighs hit the pan, resist every urge to meddle. No shuffling, no checking, no poking. Let the skin do its job and become that perfectly savoury, glass-thin crackle we dream about.

Once crisped, flip them just long enough to give the other side a little colour — nothing dramatic — before adding a good splash of chicken stock. Not enough to drown them, just enough to sit low in the pan and gently braise the meat until tender.

This is where chickpeas come in – or beans of your choice – soaking up that gorgeous chickeny richness, and finally, the mange tout — tossed in right at the end so they stay vibrant, just softened, with that satisfying snap.

Now, because we’re talking chicken, let’s talk where it comes from — because flavour and ethics are absolutely linked.

Quality chicken

Organic chicken is the gold standard: birds are raised without synthetic pesticides in their feed, given meaningful outdoor access, slower grown, and fed natural diets. They’re allowed to mature at a natural pace — and that translates to better flavour, better texture, and frankly, better respect for the animal.

Free-range chicken still has outdoor access and more space than industrial systems, but the standards can vary. It’s a good middle ground and often a much more affordable option while still offering better welfare.

Then there’s industrialised chicken — the kind that grows too fast, lives too crowded, and comes with a price tag that doesn’t reflect the true cost to the animal, environment, or flavour. It’s cheap because corners are cut — and honestly, once you’ve cooked with high-welfare chicken, you’ll taste the difference immediately.

And so — this dish is simple, yes. But it’s also about intention: seasoning without hesitation, cooking with patience, and choosing ingredients that align with how you want to eat — and how you want the world to be.

A good plate of food isn’t just dinner. It’s a choice. And this one? Well… it’s a very tasty one.

How to prepare

To prepare:
– 4 highwelfare boneless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and loads of pepper
– Pop in a deep frying pan, skin side down, and cook until golden and crispy, then flip to sear the other side
– Add in chickpeas (or beans of your choice), 500ml of chicken stock, some chilli flakes (optional) and let blip away for 10 mins.
– Add in some greens (mange tout was my choice) for the last 5 mins
– Taste and season if necessary
– Serve