Braised Green Beans

Braised Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon are tender haricot verts simmered in garlicky chicken broth and finished with olive oil and fresh lemon juice for a bright, quick side dish.

Green beans garnished with a lemon wedge and garlic on a white plate.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Clean and trim, if necessary, the green beans.
1 pound haricot verts
In a large skillet, bring the chicken broth and garlic cloves to a simmer over medium heat.
1 cup chicken broth, 5 garlic cloves
Add the green beans and thyme. Cover and cook approximately 8 minutes or until beans are tender and chicken broth is nearly evaporated.
3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
Remove and discard thyme sprigs. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and juice of one lemon.
½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 lemon

Notes

Use whole peeled garlic cloves, not minced. They soften as they simmer, turning mellow and sweet.
If using regular green beans instead of haricot verts, double the covered cook time to about 20 minutes, or slice the beans lengthwise to approximate the thinner haricot verts shape.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice at the very end, off the heat, for the brightest flavor.
If the broth evaporates before the beans are tender, add a splash of water so they don't cook dry.
Fresh thyme is best here. Plain thyme works just as well as lemon thyme.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the beans will soften further when reheated.

Nutrition