Chicken Thighs and BBQ Beans Recipe

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey
Active Time:
30 Mins
Soak Time:
8 Hours
Total Time:
10 Hours 5 Mins
Yield:
Serves 2
By Todd Richards, Soul

This chicken recipe, from Atlanta chef Todd Richards’ cookbook Soul: A Chef's Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes, is a favorite in his family. “This is inspired by the beans my dad made as a side dish when he grilled for celebrations during the summer,” says Richards. “He always made too much so we’d have leftover beans, and this recipe does the same.”

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 tablespoons blended olive oil
  • 1 pound dried white beans, soaked in water 8 hours or overnight
  • 2 cups diced yellow onions (from 2 onions)
  • 1 1/4 cups diced green bell peppers (from 2 bell peppers)
  • 1/2 cup diced celery (from about 2 stalks)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

How to Make It

Step 1

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium. Sear the chicken thighs, skin side down, in the hot oil, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and cook until browned, about 5 more minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside.

Step 3

Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stir the brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, and remaining 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt into the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, and simmer until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Step 4

Let stand 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper and thinly sliced scallions before serving.

Chef's Notes

Cooking the chicken in the same pan as the beans gives the dish more depth.

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