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    One-Pot Braised Chicken with Kale and White Beans

    Updated November 7, 2026 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    Braised chicken and kale are cooked in one pot with creamy white beans then finished with briny capers and fresh tarragon in my easy one-pot chicken dinner recipe. It is a weeknight WIN.

    An easy chicken and kale recipe, braised in one pot with white beans

    A one-pot chicken-and-kale dinner that's delicious, too!

    I am not going to stop singing the praises of chicken thighs. They're so much more flavorful than chicken breast, and they love a good braise. Toss chicken and kale with creamy white beans, and the thighs release shmaltz-y richness that brings the kale and beans to life. Capers, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and fresh tarragon lift this easy one-dish chicken and kale dinner into heady realms of herbal brightness. 

    one pot braised chicken and kale with white beans in a cast iron skillet

    Why You'll Love Braised Chicken + Kale

    You know that Dutch oven you got as a wedding gift? It’s that big cast-iron and enamel behemoth sitting in the back of a cupboard taking up a lot of space. Well, when the barometer drops, break that thing out! It’s braising season, friends. And in my house, braising and chicken thighs go hand-in-hand. Here’s why:

    • Flavor! Braising is the OG slow-cooking. Before there were Crock-Pots, there was braising. Low and slow, this moist-heat cooking method is the ideal way to cook a cut of skin-on chicken (like a chicken thigh) because it draws out the chicken fat and lets it slowly melt into the kale and white beans that it cooks with.
    • It’s easy! Braised chicken thighs are so easy! Just give the skin-on chicken thighs a nice sear in the same pan you’ll braise them in, so that they’re nicely crispy. Then add kale and white beans, and let your Dutch oven or braiser team up with your warm oven to finish the dish.
    raw bone in skin on chicken thighs seasoned on metal tray lined with parchment paper
    cast iron braiser with bone in skin on chicken thighs that are browned
    chicken stock, dijon and shallots in skillet
    chicken stock, herb and butter sauce pan in a black skillet with capers and fresh herbs
    crispy chicken thighs in black cast iron skillet with sauce pan
    black cast iron skillet with leafy kale and white beans over crispy chicken thighs

    How To Braise Chicken With Kale, In 4 Steps.

    My one-pot chicken recipe is a template. It’s delicious as-written, but once you master the technique, you can play around with different vegetables or additions! 

    Here’s how to make our one-pot chicken with kale and white beans:

    1. Sear chicken thighs until they are crispy, but don't worry about cooking them all the way through. 
    2. Turn the rendered chicken fat (the fat leftover in the pan from searing the thighs) into a thick, chicken piccata-like sauce, with stock, tarragon, lemon, capers, Dijon and butter.
    3. Add kale, white beans and the chicken thighs. 
    4. Cover and cook until everything is perfect. Serve with good bread. 
    cast iron braiser filled with one pot braised crispy chicken and kale with white beans

    Tools You’ll Need:

    Other One-Pan Chicken Recipes to Make Your Weeknights Easy:

    Whether it requires you to break out your Dutch oven, or just a sheet pan, these one-pan meals keep clean-up quick as can be:

    Braised Chicken Thighs: You Get It Now, Right?

    So much more than the sum of its parts, and as welcome on a dreary winter weeknight as it is as the focal point of your next dinner party, dutch oven chicken thighs are one of the recipes that has to be made to be believed. When you make it, let us know how it goes! Snap a photo of your beautiful pan of chicken thighs and kale, and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can see! Happy eating!

    cast iron braiser with one pot braised chicken and kale with white beans
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    An easy chicken and kale recipe, braised in one pot with white beans

    One-Pot Braised Chicken with Kale and White Beans Recipe

    Updated November 7, 2026

    By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  1 hr
    • Calories:  584

    Description

    Braised chicken and kale are cooked in one pot with creamy white beans then finished with briny capers and fresh tarragon in my easy one-pot chicken dinner recipe. It is a weeknight WIN.

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      Ingredients

      • 1 teaspoon paprika
      • 1 teaspoon sea salt
      • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
      • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, (about 3 pounds)
      • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
      • 1 medium shallot, minced
      • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
      • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
      • 2 tablespoons cold salted butter
      • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (from 1 lemon)
      • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
      • ¼ cup capers, drained
      • 2 bunches curly kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
      • 1 (13.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

      Method

      1. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with the paprika mixture.

      2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, working in batches, add the chicken skin sides down. Cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until just browned, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and continue with the remaining chicken.

      3. Once the chicken is done, reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock and the mustard. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits as you stir, until the sauce is reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.

      4. Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly whisk in the cold butter. Once the butter is melted, stir in the lemon juice, tarragon, and capers. Add the kale and beans and toss until coated and the kale is wilted. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it in.

      5. Pour the broth over the chicken, cover, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer, about 35 minutes.


      Note: For extra crispy skin, turn on the broiler with a rack in the center position. Broil until the skins brown and start to bubble, about 3 minutes.

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      Nutrition Info

      • Per Serving
      • Amount
      • Calories 584
      • Protein 62 g
      • Carbohydrates 29 g
      • Total Fat 29 g
      • Dietary Fiber 5 g
      • Cholesterol 319 mg
      • Sodium 861 mg
      • Total Sugars 2 g

      One-Pot Braised Chicken with Kale and White Beans

      Questions & Reviews

      Rated 5 stars by 41 readers

      or
      • bill

        How to reheat from fridge?

        You can do it in the oven: place the leftovers in an oven-safe dish with the sauce, cover with foil, and heat at 325°F for about 2030 minutes, until heated through. Or on the stove top in a covered skillet, add a couple tablespoons extra stock, heat over med low until heated through. Or of course microwave but the other 2 methods give the best reheated results.

      • Lottie

        I made this 2 weeks ago to a rapturous reception on an average weekday night. The flavour depth was absolutely wonderful. The only thing we all ruminated on was that the Kale becomes a very dingy brown through the braise and I wondered whether you had the same outcome or whether I have missed a trick for keeping the kale green?

        Not sure what kind of kale you used, but I would agree that most of the time this dish doesn't turn out as pretty as it is delicious! ha.

      • Marie

        Can I freeze this

        Yes!

      • Annie

        Could I use chicken breast? I’m not a fan of chicken thighs even though I know they are moist, flavorful even more nutrient rich. And not a fan of chicken skin and fat it imparts. Just wonder if it would be too dry

        You can, it will cook much faster than then chicken thighs so check the internal temp after 15-20 minutes. Remove it when it reaches 165F internal temp. Hope you enjoy Annie!

      • Halie

        They don’t sale fresh tarragon at our store. Should I substitute it with something else or will it make a big difference leaving it out?

        You should be fine to leave it out or you could sub with fresh oregano. Hope you enjoy Halie

      • Josie

        Can I use boneless chicken breast with this recipe?

        Sure, it won't need to cook as long though. Make sure to stop cooking when the chicken is 165F internal.

      • Susan

        Would this work with skinless boneless thighs

        Yes, but it won't need to cook as long and you won't need to sear it as long. Just give it a quick sear on both sides then in step 8. Check the temp after 20 minutes and see if it's done and then continue cooking for a few minutes from there if it's not quite done.

      • JP

        Thank you for a great recipe and clear directions. However, can you clarify if smoked or sweet paprika was the intended choice of spice? Thanks!

        Just regular paprika here. However, if you need to substitute it will be fine.

      • Sharon

        Can I substitute spinach for the kale?

        Sure!

      • Clara

        Can I make this with rapini (Broccoli Rabe) instead of Kale? Or would it impart too much bitterness to the chicken while braising?

        We think it should be fine! Hope you enjoy!

      • Corrina

        5-star rating

        Pretty good!! The skin on the chicken thighs wasn't crispy, even after putting it under the broiler, but the flavors were great. I cranked up the heat before adding the first round of stock so as to maximize the deglazing process. I doubled the butter and next time I will increase the stock to two full cups because that sauce is delicious!! And with extra liquid, the kale can be finished with the lid off. I added some additional lemon juice at the end to mute the last of the bitterness from the kale. Next time, and I highly recommend this for several reasons, I will massage my kale with a little olive oil and lemon juice before I put it in the pan. Massaging it breaks down the tough fibers and reduces the bulk so a) you can better gauge how much kale you'll have in the finished product, b) your pan isn't so crowded at the tossing/wilting stage, c) the kale won't be bitter, and d) you get gorgeous bright green leaf! I could definitely see making this recipe again but finishing the chicken in the oven instead of with the kale and beans. If the thighs were started in the pan (read: all that rendered chicken fat for the veg) but roasted on a separate sheet pan, the skin would assuredly be crisp and the timing on the kale and beans could be more precise. Regardless, great recipe!

        Thanks Corrina, glad you enjoyed it!

      • Smithers

        5-star rating

        I have to give this one a slow clap. I was so surprised and refreshed with the flavors of this dish. Well done. I have to make sure I don't overeat!!! I would recommend this meal. This will be one of my favorites.

        Thank you for sharing

        We hear that slow clap and we are grateful. Thanks Smithers, glad you loved it!

      • Will

        5-star rating

        LOVE , love love, this recipe ! I make it regularly as it is delicious and very healthy, I add extra kale and 2 cans beans . A +++

        Thanks Will, glad you love it!

      • Julie

        5-star rating

        Can you make this ahead and freeze it?

        Totally!

      • John

        5-star rating

        I was glaring at a pot full of kale hoping it would turn into something I liked then I remembered this recipe. Had to sub chickpeas for white beans and the first serving was missing lemon and capers but still really good, especially for something with kale in it :)

        So glad you like this one, thanks john!

      • Mary

        5-star rating

        This is THE favorite MP recipe in my house, and the absolute best weeknight dinner. Its comforting and balanced and sooooo delicious, and actual perfect recipe. When we don't have every single ingredient, we'll sub a couple things and its still fantastic, but following the recipe exactly just is actually perfect

        Thanks Mary, we are so glad your family loves it so much!

      • Susan

        5-star rating

        Ive made this twice now, its really good!
        Rich and comforting, with a lot of depth and all with simple and easy ingredients.
        Thanks Ladies!

        Thanks Susan, we are so happy you loved it!

      • Julie

        5-star rating

        Made this tonight. We are not big chicken thigh fans but this was delicious! Used spinach instead of kale, we will definitely make this again. Your recipes are always so easy to follow and come out amazing!

        Thanks Julie, we are so happy you love our recipes and this one too!

      • Tina

        5-star rating

        Awesome recipe! I added 1/4 cup white wine in addition to the lemon juice and it was good.
        Shared with several people and will make this again.

        Thanks Tina, we are so glad you loved it!

      • Lisa

        4-star rating

        So easy and delish! No tarragon in Raleigh either so I bought the poultry mix (sage, rosemary, and thyme). Also, could only find smoked paprika in my cabinet—so went a little light on that. Lastlly, only boneless/skinless chicken thighs in the market. STILL delicious. This is a very forgiving recipe! It’s good today and I’ll try again later with the proper ingredients.. Thanks!

        Thanks Lisa, so happy you loved it!

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