Chicken with Kale

We could eat kale every day!  For dinner last night, we had Chicken with Kale, pasta, dilled carrots, salad and bread.  If you’re not a big fan of kale or if you don’t have it, zucchini or yellow squash or spinach . . lots of other veggies could be substituted for the kale.

Chicken with Kale

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 – 3 cups spaghetti sauce (can be storebought or homemade – I used some I had canned)
• 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan or goat cheese
• 3 T. butter
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 T. fennel seeds
• salt, pepper to taste (and other seasonings you may like)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Pound chicken breasts thin (I sometimes cut them in half to make them thinner).  Season with salt, pepper.  I also used garlic powder and onion powder.

Wash the kale thoroughly.  Remove stems and tear into large pieces.  Shake off as much water as possible (I use a salad spinner).

Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large skillet.

Saute the kale just til wilted and place it in a baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray.  Season with a little salt and pepper (the chicken has been seasoned and the spaghetti sauce will have seasonings so go lightly with the salt!)  Top with the fennel seeds.

Add the remaining butter and olive oil to the skillet.  Brown the chicken.  It should be cooked completely through.  Arrange the chicken breasts on top of the kale.

Pour the spaghetti sauce into the skillet and stir only long enough to combine the sauce with all the pan drippings and to heat the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and kale.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the chicken and top with the Parmesan or goat cheese.  I used goat cheese because we love it and I have plenty of it.  And, while digging in the fridge for cheese, I even found a refreshing drink for myself!  Wonder how long that’s been in the fridge!

Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and everything is heated.  Serve over cooked pasta.