The internet wasn’t working last night and this left me surprisingly paralyzed for a bit.  I had plans to recreate this yummy recipe from Ten More Bites and then, with no internet, I had no access to their notes. Thankfully, my intuition took over and I ended up with a new experiment.

Chicken thighs are amazingly versatile and were a perfect pairing for the soft warm white beans and slightly crunchy kale.  My only ‘lesson learned’ is that while the almond flour coating was delicious for dinner, it didn’t hold up as well the next day for lunch.

After dinner, without internet-sized distractions, I spent the rest of the evening reading on my front porch. Mental note. Do this more.

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 bunch of kale
•  ½ onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, diced
• 14 oz cannellini beans
• A Pinch of Red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup of almond flour

Steps and Notes:

1. Rinse and drain the beans. Place into a small soup pot, add 1 cup of water, and simmer.  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, as well as hefty pinches of salt and pepper. Cook on low for 10 minutes.
2. Destem the kale and rip into small/medium sized pieces
3. Massage the kale with some olive oil for about 5 minutes until it slightly softens
4. Sauté the onions in olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the kale and cook for about 5 more minutes.
5. I tasted the kale and waited until it was soft but still had some bite as well
6. Season the thighs with salt and pepper.
7. Cook the thighs until lightly browned. Flip and repeat on the other side.
8. After about 5 minutes, add the mustard and coat the thighs (adding more if necessary). Cook for 1 minute.
9. Place the almond flour in a shallow dish. Then, remove each thigh, coat in flour, and return to the pan.
10. Cook each piece of chicken for 6-7 more minutes to allow the crust to brown.

Thoughts for Next Time:

• Cook the beans in chicken stock to add a bit more flavor
• Add some lemon to the kale
• Bread the chicken in panko so that it lasts longer for lunch the following day