Serves 2
While the chicken bakes to crisp-crusted deliciousness in the oven, you quickly wilt the kale and onion in bacon drippings in a skillet—then toss it with raw shredded carrot and grape tomatoes. The contrast of temperatures and textures is a nice change of pace from a traditional salad.
Prep: 15 minutes
Grill: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
MAKE THE CHICKEN: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly brush olive oil on a medium baking sheet.
Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, stir together the flour, cashews, salt, and pepper. Dip each tenderloin into the egg, turning to coat. Allow the excess to drip off, then dip into the cashew mixture, turning to coat. Place on the prepared pan.
Bake the chicken, turning once halfway through cooking, until the internal temperature is 165°F and the chicken is no longer pink, 15 to 18 minutes.
MAKE THE SALAD: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon, stirring, until browned and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet. Add the kale and onion to the skillet with the bacon fat. Cook, tossing frequently with tongs, until the kale is wilted and tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the cooked bacon, carrot, and tomatoes. Serve the chicken on top of the kale salad. Sprinkle with the cashews.
TIP To toast cashews, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.