You guys, I left the house 3 times today. In this unimaginable heat. What kind of an idiot am I?
I’ll tell you what kind.
1) One that needed to see her new friends at a posh foodie shoot in the plaza.
2) One that needed to explore a new vintage shop for knick knacks, dishware and pretty fabrics.
3) One that, by the influence of twitter votes, needed to grab a bottle of chardonnay to sip with my seared chicken dinner.
I mean, you do see how none of this was my fault, right? I’m crispy, shriveled and I look like a dehydrated cherry tomato, but no judgement shall be cast my way.
Right?
OH WAIT, 4 times if you count venturing into the garden to pick out ingredients for dinner.
Now, please ignore me as I stick my face in a meat locker and never come out.
(Except to watch Master Chef.)
Seared Chicken with Garden Kale and Tomatoes:
What it took for 2:
* 2 chicken breasts, pounded out thinly
* 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
* 1 lemon
* 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
* 1 bunch kale, ends trimmed and roughly chopped
* 2 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn
* 1 tsp coarse salt
* 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
* 2 Tbs. fresh parmesan shavings
In a bowl, combine the chicken breasts, 4 Tbs. oil, juice from half the lemon, the crushed pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together, cover and marinate in fridge for an hour.
Heat a medium skillet with the remaining oil over medium-high. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and rest.
To the skillet, add the kale. Saute until it starts to wilt. Add the tomatoes, another pinch of salt and pepper and saute another minute.
Serve chicken with kale and tomatoes, another good spritz of lemon, torn basil and parmesan shavings to bring it all together, baby!
The pictures look beautiful. I don’t blame you for leaving the house for chardonnay to go with this, it sounds perfect and totally worth it. I wish I could have been your dinner guest tonight!
Thanks Cassie! Wish you could have been a guest, too!
I’m seeing the famous Weidner Hot Chili Flakes in the picture – we’re almost out of ours! What are we to DO?
We’re almost out too! I’ll figure sompin’ out. 🙂
I’m going to go ahead and request that you venture out of the house for a fifth time and come make (a very late) dinner for me tonight. I’ll have some ice water for you when you arrive.
Could you at least spike the water? 🙂
bev, this look great! i love fresh kale! nothing like it. your photos are gorgeous, as usual! 🙂
Thank you Jenna! I agree, kale can do no wrong.
That first photo is beautiful!
I’m pretty much obsessed with kale. I wish I had a garden full of it!
Thank you Karla! Yea, it’s so nice to walk out, snippy snip, and eat.
(snippy snip?)
I need chardonnay horribly!!! And this looks so easy and delicious!! Thanks for posting! I’m still freaking out about pounding chicken.. I have the tool. I don’t have the courage.. I need to find a youtube how-to so I can make this as you say to!
You can do it, you can do it! Just place the chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound away! You can use a heavy spoon even, if that’s what you have. It’s therapeutic.
beautiful photos. This is a great way to use kale!
Thanks Alison! Yes, I could eat kale like this everyday and be just fine with life.
OK girl – you’ve got to share. Where is this new vintage shop?
Oh Kristen, It’s REALLY cute. It’s called Vintage Market and it’s sort of in a wonky spot. If you’re headed south on Stateline, take a right at 79th/Sommerset. Follow that road for 20 seconds and you’ll land upon this tiny strip mall of sorts. Vintage Market is right in the middle corner. 7930 Lee Boulevard. Have you been!?
Bev, just stumbled upon your blog and I LOVE IT!! you have a great voice. And you had me at kale 🙂 It’s my obsession!!
Well thank you so much! I’m obsessed with kale too. It owns me.
So nice to meet you!
Found your site (and this recipe!) today. Happened to have all of the ingredients on hand thanks to the local farmers market – added white beans to the kale and tomato saute – and it was awesome!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you so much! So glad to have you here!
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe. I made this last night with a few modifications (mostly adding extra hot peppers, because I’m addicted to them.)
Mine didn’t come out looking as great as the meal in your pictures, but it sure tasted great.
I meant to make one chicken breast with vegetables, eat half today and save the rest for tomorrow, but it was so good I went back and ate the rest. I’m not a huge fan of kale, but I have a bunch from my farm share, and combined with fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic, with a little hot pepper, it was so good I’d go buy kale just to make this again!. Thank you, Bev, for making a stranger’s day better.