Easy baked chicken with white beans, onion, bacon and stewed tomatoes. One skillet from stovetop to oven — perfect for weeknight dinners.
We cook a lot of chicken at home, and this baked chicken with white beans has been a long-standing favorite. The recipe originally appeared years ago in Gourmet magazine and has stayed in regular rotation because it is simple, forgiving, and full of comforting flavor. It combines bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, smoky bacon, sweet stewed tomatoes, tender white beans and caramelized onions — all finished in the oven in a single skillet.
This dish is especially satisfying because it marries inexpensive pantry ingredients with a few fresh touches. Cannellini or other small white beans are ideal for a creamy texture that soaks up the juices, while a splash of white wine when deglazing the pan lifts the flavors and helps release the savory browned bits. If you have fresh rosemary on hand, finely chopped rosemary added to the onions brightens the dish with a fragrant herbal note. The result is a rustic, homey one-pan meal that feeds a family or provides leftovers for the next day.
I often make this when family visits; my mother is particularly fond of it and adds a touch of minced garlic to her version. She also tends to add salt as she cooks — a habit worth copying. Seasoning little by little while sautéing brings out deeper, more developed flavors than adding salt only at the end. I prefer kosher salt for cooking, but use what you have and taste as you go.
The cooking process is straightforward: crisp the bacon, brown the chicken in the bacon fat, sauté the onions until golden and aromatic, stir in tomatoes and beans, nestle the browned chicken into the bean mixture, then finish the dish in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld. Bake time gives the beans a chance to absorb the tomato-bacon juices and keeps the chicken moist while crisping the skin.
This recipe is ideal for weeknights because it requires minimal hands-on time and uses one ovenproof skillet from start to finish. Serve it with a simple green salad and crusty bread to soak up the delicious pan juices. Leftovers reheated gently on the stovetop or in a low oven remain flavorful and make a satisfying lunch the next day.
Baked Chicken and White Beans
Easy one-pan dinner: chicken with white beans, bacon and onion. Stewed tomatoes add a touch of sweetness and fresh rosemary, if available, enhances the flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or up to 6 smaller thighs)
- 2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
- 2 (15.5 oz) cans small white beans (such as cannellini), drained and rinsed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- A splash of dry white wine for deglazing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown the chicken, skin side down first, in the reserved bacon fat. Brown about 4 minutes per side until golden. Transfer the browned chicken to paper towels to drain briefly.
- Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up browned bits from the pan. If using, add a splash of white wine to deglaze and lift those flavorful bits. Cook the onions until they are golden and soft, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in the chopped rosemary if using.
- Add the stewed tomatoes and their juices to the skillet with the onions. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and let the mixture simmer a few minutes to blend flavors.
- Stir the drained beans and the reserved crisp bacon into the tomato-onion mixture and bring back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the bean mixture, skin side up, so they sit partially covered by the beans and tomatoes.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F (74°C) near the bone, about 30–40 minutes depending on thigh size. Remove from the oven and let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Any small white bean will work, but cannellini beans give a creamy texture. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the pan juices. If you prefer, add a clove or two of minced garlic when you cook the onions for extra aroma. Adjust salt gradually during cooking to avoid overseasoning.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 513 kcal; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Protein: 34 g; Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Fiber: 8 g; Sodium: 369 mg. Values are approximate and will vary with specific ingredients and portions.
This simple, flavorful skillet dinner is forgiving and flexible: swap in different herbs, use boneless thighs if preferred (reduce oven time), or add a handful of baby spinach near the end for extra greens. The combination of smoky bacon, sweet tomatoes and creamy beans makes it a satisfying family meal any night of the week.
* Adapted from Gourmet magazine, December 2004.