Chili-Lime Chicken Thighs and Black Beans

This vibrant one-pot meal stars juicy chicken thighs and smoky, spicy black beans.

Chile-Lime-Chicken-Thighs-&-Black-Beans
Photo:

Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless , Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
4

This one-pot chicken thighs recipe requires a spot in your weeknight dinners repertoire. A few simple ingredients like chipotle chiles, lime, and cilantro deliver layers of flavor with minimal effort. You’ll start by simply searing bone-in chicken thighs before an onion cooks in the savory drippings. Black beans get added with chipotle chiles and chicken broth, the thighs will nestle in the mixture, and into the oven it goes. Stirring in cilantro and lime juice before serving guarantees this hearty meal also feels bright and fresh. 

Turn leftovers into a grain bowl. Discard the skin and shred the chicken with a fork then serve with the leftover beans, rice, sliced avocado, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes. 

Ingredients

  • 4 6-oz. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry

  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/4 cups) 

  • 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth or water

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from a 7-oz. can)

  • 2 15-oz. cans black beans,drained and rinsed

  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 2 limes), plus wedges for serving

  • Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving

Directions

  1. Cook chicken until golden brown:

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add chicken, skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown and crisp,
    about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

  2. Cook onion, broth, chiles, and beans:

    Add onion to drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, chiles, and beans.

  3. Add chicken to broth and bake:

    Return chicken to skillet, skin side up. Bake until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken reads 165°F, about 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and tortillas. 

Make-Ahead: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. If you want to re-crisp the chicken skin, warm the thighs in the air fryer for a few minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

653 Calories
27g Fat
54g Carbs
53g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 653
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 208mg 69%
Sodium 1630mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 18g 63%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 53g 106%
Vitamin C 24mg 26%
Calcium 133mg 10%
Iron 6mg 36%
Potassium 1228mg 26%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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