In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until it is crisp, which should take about 5-7 minutes. Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set it aside on a plate, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet for added flavor.

Add the diced yellow onion directly to the skillet with the reserved bacon grease. Cook over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 3-5 minutes. The bacon grease adds a rich, savory flavor to the onion.

Stir the packed brown sugar, garlic powder, and ground black pepper into the cooked onions. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture becomes fragrant and the sugar is beginning to melt. I like to let the brown sugar caramelize a bit here for richer flavor.

Add the trimmed green beans to the skillet with the onion and sugar mixture. Toss the green beans well to ensure they are evenly coated with the flavorful mixture.

Pour in the chicken broth (if using) and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the green beans cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender to your liking.

Once the green beans are tender, return the cooked bacon from Step 1 to the skillet. Stir everything together and let it heat through for about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt before serving. To really bring out the flavor, I sometimes add a little extra black pepper at this stage.