Dig into this one-pan chicken with garlicky kale recipe for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
Chicken thighs are often overlooked in favor of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However, we think that skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are much tastier—and they’re usually cheaper to boot.
When cooked skin-side down in a hot cast iron pan, the fat drippings create a juicy base for the rest of the meal. In this recipe, we added kale and red onion to the drippings and seasoned with cumin and black pepper. Then, we finished it in the oven to get the chicken done lightning fast.
This recipe is simple and versatile, so feel free to add any other veggies or seasonings you like to make it your own.
Tip: If you don’t have a cast iron pan, use an ovenproof skillet instead.
Details
Author: Jess Case
Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Total Time:
35 minutes
Serves: 4
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 lb.), patted dry with paper towels
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 oz stemmed, torn kale
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine cumin with ¼ teaspoon pepper and sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken.
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Once hot, place chicken skin-side down. Cook 8 minutes or until skin is lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add red onion, garlic, and remaining ground pepper to the pan drippings. Cook 3 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add half of kale and cover, cook 2 minutes or until lightly wilted. Stir in remaining kale, cover, and cook 2 minutes more.
Stir and top with chicken, skin side up. Bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165°F).
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Airports are full of unhealthy meal options ranging from fast food and donuts to salads with dairy-based dressings. Here are some tips to make more Paleo choices.
By The Paleo Diet® Team
Paleo Leadership
Trevor Connor
Dr. Loren Cordain’s final graduate student, Trevor Connor, M.S., brings more than a decade of nutrition and physiology expertise to spearhead the new Paleo Diet team.
Dr. Mark J. Smith
One of the original members of the Paleo movement, Mark J. Smith, Ph.D., has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the benefits of Paleo nutrition.
Nell Stephenson
Ironman athlete, mom, author, and nutrition blogger Nell Stephenson has been an influential member of the Paleo movement for over a decade.
Dr. Loren Cordain
As a professor at Colorado State University, Dr. Loren Cordain developed The Paleo Diet® through decades of research and collaboration with fellow scientists around the world.
