Kale cranberry salad with chicken thighs

American · Salad · 30 min · Serves 4

Crispy roasted chicken thighs paired with a bright, tangy salad of tender kale, tart cranberries, and a simple vinaigrette—it's the kind of meal that feels fancy enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight. The warm chicken nestled on top of the cool greens makes this hearty and satisfying without being heavy.

Ingredients

• 8chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1.5 tspkosher salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 8 cupsfresh kale
• 0.75 cupdried cranberries
• 3 tbspred wine vinegar
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 1shallot, minced
• 0.5 cupsliced almonds or walnuts

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, place chicken skin-side down and sear until golden brown.

   6 min

3. 3

   Flip the chicken skin-side up and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 20–25 minutes.

   25 min

4. 4

   While the chicken roasts, tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, and minced shallot.

5. 5

   Pour the dressing over the kale and massage gently with your hands for about 1 minute to soften the leaves. Toss in the cranberries and nuts.

   1 min

6. 6

   Divide the salad among four plates and top each with two warm chicken thighs. Serve immediately.