Spanish Chorizo and Butter Bean Crispy Chicken Skillet Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Temperature control is the whole game here. Start the chicken over a solid medium-high so the skin browns before the meat overcooks, then drop to a gentle simmer once the liquids go in; a rolling boil will shred the kale, burst the bean skins, and steam the crust.

Spoon off excess fat after the sear but leave a thin coat, since that seasoned fat is what carries flavor into the beans and keeps the garlic from sticking.

The chorizo is a seasoning as much as an ingredient, so taste before adding extra salt at the end. If the stew tastes flat, a pinch more smoked paprika or an extra minute of reduction will do more than salt. For deeper flavor, let the chorizo render until the cubes are crisp at the edges; those browned bits scraped up by the stock become the backbone of the sauce.

Variations

• Extra-hot version: Use hot pimentón instead of sweet and add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic. The chorizo oil carries the heat through the whole stew, so start with a small pinch and taste before adding more.
• White bean and spinach: Swap the kale for baby spinach stirred in during the last minute of simmering, and use cannellini beans. The stew turns softer and sweeter, and the spinach keeps a bright green ribbon through the creamy beans.
• Chicken breast version: Use skin-on, boneless chicken breasts and shorten the sear to 6 to 8 minutes. Check for 165°F (74°C) early, since breasts dry out faster than thighs; the crisp skin still protects the meat.
• Smoky vegetarian pot: Skip the chicken and chorizo, and start with 3 tbsp olive oil plus 1 tsp extra smoked paprika. Simmer the beans, garlic, stock, and kale into a thick stew, finishing with toasted bread crumbs for crunch on top.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Refrigerate chicken and beans together in shallow airtight containers for up to 3 days; the stew thickens and tastes even better on day two.

Freezer

Freeze the bean stew without the chicken for up to 2 months in airtight containers; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently.

Reheat

Reheat the stew in a covered skillet over medium-low with a splash of stock; re-crisp the chicken skin-side down in a dry pan for a few minutes.

Cool the leftovers at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, then transfer the chicken and beans to shallow airtight containers.

The skin softens in the refrigerator, which is unavoidable, but the flavors deepen overnight and the stew becomes even creamier. Eat within 3 days. Store the chicken and the bean stew together so the meat stays moist, or separate them if planning to re-crisp.

The bean base can be made a day ahead: render the chorizo and garlic, simmer with the beans, stock, and kale, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to eat, reheat the stew gently in the skillet, then crisp fresh-seasoned chicken thighs skin-side down and nestle them in as written.

Seasoning and scoring the chicken up to a few hours ahead, uncovered in the refrigerator, actually improves the crust by drying the skin further. Do not cook the chicken fully ahead, since reheating destroys the texture that defines the dish.

Serving ideas

Serve the skillet at the table, straight from the pan, with the chicken thighs arranged skin-side up over the beans so everyone sees the crust.

Crusty bread is the essential partner for the brick-red chorizo oil pooling in the beans; a grilled baguette or rustic sourdough both work. A simple lemony green salad or shaved fennel cuts through the richness if the meal needs something bright.

For a fuller table, add a glass of dry Spanish white wine or a splash of sherry vinegar over the greens. Leftover stew, without the chicken, is excellent spooned over toasted bread as a starter the next day. If serving a crowd, double everything and use two skillets rather than one crowded pan, keeping the sear batches separate so the skin stays crisp.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Spanish Chorizo and Butter Bean Crispy Chicken Skillet

Prep 15 minCook 35 minRest 5 minTotal 55 minServes 4

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
• 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón), plus more to taste
• 4 oz cured Spanish chorizo, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 cans (about 15 oz each) giant butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 4 oz kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil, if the pan looks dry

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, then score the skin in two or three shallow cuts, about 1/4 inch deep, without cutting into the meat. Season both sides generously with the smoked paprika, rubbing the spice into the scored skin so every crevice is coated and the surface looks evenly rust-red.
2. Dice the chorizo into 1/4-inch cubes so it renders quickly and evenly. Slice the garlic cloves thin. Rinse and drain the butter beans in a colander and let them sit a moment, then stem the kale and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Line everything up beside the stove before the pan goes on.
3. Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and lay the thighs in skin-side down, without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 12 minutes, tilting the pan and spooning off excess fat as it collects, until the skin is deeply browned and shatteringly crisp. If the pan looks dry at any point, add the olive oil around the edges.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate, skin-side up, leaving the rendered fat behind. Add the chorizo to the skillet over medium heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the cubes curl and the fat turns brick red. Add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute more, just until fragrant and pale gold.
5. Add the butter beans, chicken stock, and kale to the chorizo oil, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Nestle the chicken thighs back in skin-side up, crust above the liquid, and let everything simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until the kale wilts and the beans turn creamy.
6. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone. The chicken is done at 165°F (74°C); if it reads below, keep the pan at a gentle simmer for a few minutes more and check again. The meat should feel firm and the juices run clear.
7. Pull the skillet off the heat and let the chicken rest in the beans for 5 minutes, skin-side up so the crust stays dry. Taste the stew and adjust the smoked paprika. Then press a spoon through the crackling skin into the creamy beans below and serve straight from the pan.

Contains: milk

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

620

Protein

38 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

38 g

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.