Dijon-Roasted Chicken with Glazed Green Beans and Fresh Shelling Beans with Pesto

Dijon-Roasted Chicken

A thin mustard coating seasons the chicken without weighing down the skin. Roasting the thighs skin-side up gives a golden exterior and tender meat, while a little water captures the flavorful pan drippings.

Ingredients

• 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2½ pounds total
• 2 tbsp gluten-free Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice, to finish the pan juices

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry and place skin-side up in a shallow roasting dish, leaving space between the pieces.
2. Mix the Dijon, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Rub most beneath the skin and over the flesh, then spread a thin coating over the skin.
3. Pour the water around, not over, the chicken. Roast for 40–50 minutes, until the skin is golden and the thickest part of each thigh reaches 175–185°F without touching bone. Add a splash of water if the drippings begin to scorch.
4. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate and rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir the roasting juices, scraping up the browned bits, and add lemon juice to taste. Skim excess fat and spoon the juices around the chicken rather than over its skin.

Notes

• If the skin browns before the meat is ready, loosely shield the dark areas with foil.

Fresh Shelling Beans

Gentle simmering keeps the delicate skins intact while the centers become creamy. Reserving a little cooking liquid keeps the beans supple when served with thick pesto.

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh shelled cranberry or borlotti beans, from approximately 2½–3 pounds in their pods
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• as needed water

Instructions

1. Place the shelled beans, garlic, bay leaf, and salt in a saucepan. Cover with water by about 1 inch.
2. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partially covered for 20–40 minutes, until the beans are creamy throughout but still hold their shape. Keep submerged with additional hot water as needed.
3. Discard the bay leaf and garlic. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid, then drain the beans. Toss with the olive oil and enough reserved liquid to keep them moist. Taste for salt and keep warm.
4. Serve with the pesto spooned over the beans rather than cooking it into them.

Notes

• Fresh beans vary considerably in cooking time; begin tasting at 20 minutes and avoid a vigorous boil.

Basil Pesto

Basil, olive oil, nuts, and Parmesan make a rich, textured sauce that clings to both kinds of beans. A small amount of lemon lifts the sauce without overwhelming the basil.

Ingredients

• 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Pulse the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add the basil and salt. Pulse briefly, then add the olive oil in several additions, scraping down the bowl, until thick and spoonable with some texture remaining.
3. Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon, remembering that the beans and chicken are already seasoned.
4. Keep covered until serving. If too stiff to spoon, loosen the portion being served with a little warm, not boiling, bean cooking liquid.

Notes

• Avoid prolonged blending, which heats the basil and dulls its color.

Glazed Green Beans

A shallow simmer cooks the beans evenly, then the remaining water and butter reduce to a light glaze. Lemon keeps the finish bright alongside the rich pesto.

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, stem ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup water, plus more as needed
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the green beans, butter, water, and salt in a wide skillet. Bring to a lively simmer, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
2. Uncover and cook for another 4–8 minutes, tossing regularly, until the beans are tender with a little bite and the liquid has reduced to a glossy coating. Add a splash of water if the pan dries before the beans are tender; do not let the butter fry or brown.
3. Remove from the heat and toss with lemon juice and pepper. Serve immediately with a little pesto spooned over the top.

Notes

• Thin haricots verts cook faster than mature green beans; use tenderness rather than the clock as the final guide.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The chicken and shelling beans cook largely unattended, leaving time to make pesto and finish the green beans just before serving.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven, season the chicken, and begin roasting.
2. 0:10 — Shell the beans and start their gentle simmer.
3. 0:30 — Make the pesto and trim the green beans. Check the shelling beans regularly and hold them in their liquid once tender.
4. 0:45 — Check the chicken temperature. When nearly done, begin glazing the green beans.
5. 0:50–1:05 — Rest the cooked chicken, finish its pan juices, and drain and dress the shelling beans. Finish the green beans and plate everything warm.

Notes

• Allow about 65–75 minutes total, depending on the size of the thighs and maturity of the beans.

Plating

Keeping the chicken skin clear of sauce preserves its texture, while generous pesto on the vegetables ties the plate together.

Instructions

1. Place a chicken thigh skin-side up toward the back of each warm plate.
2. Spoon the shelling beans alongside and arrange the glazed green beans in a loose bundle on the other side.
3. Spoon pesto generously over the shelling beans and more lightly over the green beans. Add a little chicken jus around the chicken, leaving the crisp skin exposed.

Leftover Path

Storing the pesto separately preserves its fresh flavor and lets the chicken and beans be reheated gently without cooking the basil.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the chicken, vegetables, and pesto in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Keep a little cooking liquid with the shelling beans and use all leftovers within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat chicken in a 350°F oven with a splash of water in the dish until the center reaches 165°F. Warm the shelling beans gently in their liquid and briefly rewarm the green beans.
3. Add pesto after reheating. Alternatively, shred cold chicken and combine with both kinds of beans, pesto, and a squeeze of lemon for a next-day salad.