Kale Salad with Baked Almond Chicken

Note the chicken requires a minimum of 2 hours marinating time so plan ahead.

For the salad:
Take the washed and thinly sliced kale and place it in a large salad bowl. Set aside.

Now make your dressing: In a small bowl whisk together minced garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt to taste and whisk again.

Pour half the dressing over the kale and use your hands to massage the kale for about 3-5 minutes. Set aside in the fridge until ready for use. You can let it sit for 15 minutes, or until desired texture is reached. The longer it sits, the softer the kale will be.

For the chicken:
Lightly sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Place the chicken breasts and marinade in a gallon sized baggie. Seal the baggie and massage the chicken until the chicken has been fully coated with the marinade. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to 2 days (see note).

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a shallow bowl/dish, place the crushed almonds, panko, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and stir to combine. Remove the chicken from the baggie, and place each breast in the almond coating. Press down lightly to ensure the coating sticks to both sides. Some breading will fall off. That’s OK. Just top the chicken with the leftovers once placed in the baking dish. You should definitely use all the breading. Place the chicken in a greased baking dish and bake for about 10-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink should remain).

Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes and then cube into bite sized chunks.

Remove the kale from the refrigerator and add the cheese and golden raisins. Add the rest of the dressing and toss to combine. Top with the cubed chicken and serve!

Notes:
1. Chicken should typically marinate for 2 hours. If you’re crunched for time and can only marinate for 30 minutes, poke holes in the chicken breasts with a fork before placing it in the baggie with the marinade.
2. Cook time will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.