Tender chicken thighs with crisp skin, simmered alongside pancetta, sage and a medley of vegetables, all served on a bed of creamy cannellini beans. This comforting Italian-style dish is ideal for chilly evenings when you want something warming and satisfying.
Quick recipe overview
- Flavour and texture – Crispy chicken skin, tender vegetables and luxuriously creamy beans with deep, umami-rich flavour.
- Perfect for – A cosy, comforting dinner on cold evenings.
- Serve with – This works as a complete meal or paired with a green side such as broccolini for extra veg.
This is a homey yet special-feeling dish, perfect for relaxed weekends when you have a bit more time to cook and want a rich, homemade meal.
Ingredients notes
- Pancetta – Guanciale or bacon lardons can be used as alternatives.
- White wine – Use a dry Italian white such as Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Pecorino or Gavi for best results; omit if you prefer no alcohol.
- Herbs –Bay, rosemary and sage make a great aromatic trio; thyme also complements this dish well.
- Chicken stock –Choose low-sodium stock so the final dish isn’t overly salty.
- White beans –Good-quality jarred beans make a big difference: look for beans preserved only in water with salt. The beans should be smooth and creamy rather than grainy.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Below are step-by-step photos to guide you; the full written recipe appears further down.
Step 1 – Season the chicken with salt on both sides. Heat a large sauté pan with olive oil until hot. Place the thighs skin-side down and brown for about 10 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for another 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 – Add the pancetta to the pan and fry until it starts to brown. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs, sautéing for about 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Step 3 –Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Allow the wine to reduce by about half.
Step 4 – Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock and simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Stir the drained beans (reserve a little of their cooking liquid if you like a silkier sauce) into the pan and cook for 5–10 minutes until heated through and slightly creamy. Serve the chicken on top of the beans.
Top tip!
- Prep ahead – Chop your vegetables, measure the stock and season the chicken before you start cooking. Having everything ready makes the process smooth and stress-free.
More Italian chicken recipes to try
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One-Pot Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes And Lentils
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Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Garlic & Pancetta
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Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad
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Chicken Cacciatore – Pollo alla Cacciatora
If you try this braised chicken with beans, please leave a rating or comment to share how it turned out — feedback is always welcome.
Step By Step Photos Above
Step-by-step photos and helpful tips are provided to guide you through the recipe.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Pancetta, Sage and Beans
By Emily
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3.5 oz pancetta (100g)
- ⅓ cup dry Italian white wine (80ml; optional)
- 5-6 sage leaves
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 3.5 cups white beans (855g/30oz total undrained weight)
- 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock (500ml)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
Instructions
Prep
- Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion and place them in a bowl. Finely chop the garlic separately. Prepare the stock and season the chicken on both sides with salt.
- Heat a large sauté pan with high sides until hot. Add the olive oil and place the chicken skin-side down. Brown for 10 minutes, flip and brown for another 10 minutes. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
- Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs, sautéing for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any brown bits, and let it reduce by half. Return the chicken to the pan and add the stock. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
- If the liquid reduces too much, add ½ cup (125ml) water to top it up.
- After 40 minutes, transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Add the beans, keeping a little of their starchy liquid if you like, and stir into the pan. Cook for 5–10 minutes until the beans are heated and slightly creamy.
- If you prefer a looser consistency, add a splash of water. Serve the beans topped with the chicken.
Notes
- Serving size – I typically serve two thighs per person; adjust if your thighs are large.
- Bean quality – Look for jarred beans with only three ingredients: beans, water and salt. High-quality beans improve texture and flavour.
- Bean cooking liquid – The starchy bean liquid helps thicken sauces. Either drain but don’t rinse the beans, or rinse them and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid to add back into the sauce.
- Storage and reheating – Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat chicken in a 180°C/350°F oven for about 15 minutes, and warm the beans gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.