Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Lemon Chicken Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into pieces (680 g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (6 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1 g)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (27 g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (12 g)
• 1/2 cup onion, diced (75 g)
• 3/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth (180 g)
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced (120 g)
• 2 tablespoons drained capers (18 g)
• 5 ounces baby spinach (142 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (8 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare ingredients. Pat chicken dry and cut larger pieces evenly. Zest and juice lemon; mince garlic, dice onion, and measure broth, capers, spinach, and parsley before heating the skillet. Keep juice separate for finishing.
2. Season chicken. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, then arrange chicken in one layer with space between pieces. Do not move it early.
3. Brown chicken. Cook undisturbed about 4 minutes, until undersides are golden brown. Turn and cook about 3 minutes more; transfer chicken to a plate, leaving browned bits in the skillet. Work in batches if needed.
4. Build sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion until softened, about 3 minutes, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds. Add broth, scrape up browned bits, and stir in capers. Broth should smell savory.
5. Simmer and wilt. Return chicken and any juices. Simmer until broth reduces slightly and lightly coats the pieces, about 4 minutes. Add spinach by handfuls, folding until wilted and distributed through the sauce. Keep a gentle bubble.
6. Finish and serve. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste, adjusting pepper or lemon as needed. Rest 2 minutes, scatter parsley, and spoon chicken and sauce into shallow bowls. Serve while spinach stays bright.

Notes

• Use a wide skillet so chicken browns in one layer. If crowded, brown it in batches before building the sauce.
• For kale or chard, add sliced greens with the broth, not at the end; they need longer than spinach to soften.
• Stir lemon in off heat for a clear flavor. Begin with half the juice when a softer citrus note is preferred.

Nutrition Facts