Vetted Recipes

Best Recipe for Chicken With Kale and Freekeh-Lentil Pilaf

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped Hunza raisins
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (or more) olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2"-thick cutlets
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1 pound kale, large center ribs and stems removed, torn into pieces
  • 1 cup cooked freekeh
  • 1 cup cooked lentils

Instructions

  1. Stir cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add vinegar and garlic. Let stand for 30 seconds. Transfer to a blender; add oil and next 3 ingredients. Purée. Season with salt.
  2. For pilaf and chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt. Working in 2 batches and adding 1 tablespoon oil between batches, cook chicken in single layers until browned on both sides and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Remove pan from heat; add 1/4 cup water. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Scrape sauce into a bowl. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Discard garlic. Working in 3 batches and adding more oil as needed, add kale to skillet and toss until wilted, 1-2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large bowl. Season lightly with salt. Cover to keep warm. Add freekeh and lentils to same skillet. Increase heat; stir until warm, 2-3 minutes. Spoon pilaf onto plates. Top with chicken. Whisk juices from plate with chicken into sauce; drizzle over chicken and pilaf. Top with kale.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt. Working in 2 batches and adding 1 tablespoon oil between batches, cook chicken in single layers until browned on both sides and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  4. Remove pan from heat; add 1/4 cup water. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Scrape sauce into a bowl.
  5. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Discard garlic. Working in 3 batches and adding more oil as needed, add kale to skillet and toss until wilted, 1-2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large bowl. Season lightly with salt. Cover to keep warm.
  6. Add freekeh and lentils to same skillet. Increase heat; stir until warm, 2-3 minutes.
  7. Spoon pilaf onto plates. Top with chicken. Whisk juices from plate with chicken into sauce; drizzle over chicken and pilaf. Top with kale.

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