Goat cheese kale chicken over rice

Mediterranean · Bowl · 45 min · Serves 4

Tender chicken thighs, wilted kale, and creamy goat cheese come together over fluffy rice for a meal that tastes restaurant-worthy but comes together on a weeknight. It's the kind of bowl that makes everyone at the table happy—hearty enough for the adults, bright and approachable enough for the kids.

Ingredients

• 8chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 4garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cupsfresh kale, chopped
• 1 cupchicken broth
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 4 ozgoat cheese, crumbled
• 1.5 cupswhite rice
• 3 cupswater for rice
• to tastesalt and pepper
• ½ tspred pepper flakes

Method

1. 1

   Start the rice: bring 3 cups water to a boil with a pinch of salt, stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender.

   18 min

2. 2

   While rice cooks, pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, brown chicken skin-side down until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

   10 min

4. 4

   In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tbsp oil, then sauté garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds until fragrant.

   1 min

5. 5

   Add kale, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Stir well, then nestle the browned chicken back into the pan skin-side up.

6. 6

   Cover and simmer on medium heat until chicken is cooked through and kale is tender, about 12–15 minutes.

   15 min

7. 7

   Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Scatter goat cheese over the top just before serving.

8. 8

   Divide rice among bowls, top with chicken, kale, and pan sauce, and serve warm.