Warm Kale and Chicken Salad

Name: Warm Kale and Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1.25 lbs Chicken, 4 pieces of 5-6 ounce bone-less chicken breast; Salt and Black Pepper; 1 tbsp Canola Oil, use grape seed or olive oil for paleo version; 500 Grams Kale, 16 ounce kale leaves rough chopped; Salt and Black Pepper, adjust per taste; 1 Bell Pepper, red or yellow bell pepper thin slices; 1 Red Onion, cut into wedges; 4 tbsp Feta Cheese; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 2-3 tbsp Cilantro, coriander leaves fine chopped; 1 tsp Oregano; 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock; 1/2 Cup Olives, optional; 2 Garlic, 2 cloves of garlic fine diced

Posted On: May, 12 | Author: Savita

Chicken Salads

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Diet Info: DF GF F LF Na LS VG V Fa

Pan-seared Chicken with kale and veggies simmered in chicken broth is one healthy bowl of salad that I can eat any time of the day. White meat chicken (chicken breast meat) cooks faster and is also lean source of protein. It is great for quick, lite, and healthy weeknight chicken dinner. Especially with delicious flavors of hearty and healthy kale, bell peppers, olives and salty feta cheese, this salad is my favorite for easy weeknight dinners.

Kale and chicken salad is so filling and satisfying, sometimes I think its wrong to call it salad. I wouldn't mind calling this salad a weeknight complete meal or Chicken and Kale quick stew.

Method of pounding the chicken makes it much tender. Not only does chicken cook faster, it absorbs flavor quickly too. It might feel like that pounding is extra work. Think about it. A big piece of chicken (not pounded) searing in skillet will burn the skillet before its cooked through or first we have to quick brown it from both sides then throw in oven for cooking through. Whereas, if you spend 5 minutes to pound the chicken, then it will cook in skillet (no oven required) in just 10 minutes (5 min each side) and will have nice golden brown color. I prefer to invest time in pounding the chicken, when I know, I need to put food on dinner table in 25 minutes. Don't just believe me, try it yourself. I am sure you will be glad to cook chicken this way. Warm Kale and Chicken Salad

Since I tasted Kale, it is my favorite green leafy vegetable on this earth. I am fond of mustard greens and spinach too, but kale has surpassed both in taste, flavor and health benefits. Do you know kale has more calcium than milk with added benefits of green vegetable? Kale is like new era's "turmeric". Raw kale has zero calories from sugar!! Cooked not have much either. If you never had kale, do add it in your daily diet for nutrition and of-course for taste.

Warm kale cooked in chicken broth really takes taste of kale to whole new level. Almost slow cooked stewed collard greens. With briny olives, feta and beautifully cooked piece of chicken, this salad screams healthy dinner to me. I enjoyed it a lot. Let me know how it worked for you?

Happy Cooking!! Warm Kale and Chicken Salad

Warm Kale and Chicken Salad

Total Time: 25 mins Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Cuisine: Mediterranean (Salad, Dinner, Lunch) Difficulty: Easy

Yields: 3 Cups - Serves: 2

(1.5 Cup Kale salad per serving with 1 chicken cutlet)

Ingredients

Pan-Seared Chicken
1.25 lbs Chicken (4 pieces of 5-6 ounce bone-less chicken breast)
Salt and Black Pepper
1 tbsp Canola Oil (use grape seed or olive oil for paleo version)
Kale Salad
500 Grams Kale (16 ounce kale leaves rough chopped)
Salt and Black Pepper (adjust per taste)
1 Bell Pepper (red or yellow bell pepper thin slices)
1 Red Onion (cut into wedges)
4 tbsp Feta Cheese
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2-3 tbsp Cilantro (coriander leaves fine chopped)
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup Olives (optional)
2 Garlic (2 cloves of garlic fine diced)

Smart Swap: Use Cod fish fillets instead of chicken for omega-3 rich salad

Directions

1. Pan Sear Chicken: Cook Chicken - Place bone-less chicken fillets in between two plastic wraps and pound it with skillet to flatten it. Chicken should be about 1/2 inch thick. Heat oil in a skillet. Season chicken with salt and black pepper and sear it 4-5 minutes each side or until golden brown on both sides. Transfer chicken to a plate. Additional Notes: Chicken will be ready to flip as it starts to brown at edges.
2. Sauté Kale: Remove any oil left in the pan. Add fresh 1 tbsp oil and let it heat up. Now add onion and kale leaves. Sauté till kale has wilted and onion are soft and have brown spots.(about 1-2 minutes) Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Now add garlic, oregano, bell pepper and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
3. Assemble and Serve: Return chicken to the pan with olives (if using) and chicken stock. Bring to gentle simmer and then cover. Simmer for 5 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Top with cilantro, feta and serve warm.