Almond-Crusted Chicken with Garlicky Swiss Chard
Almonds are a wonderful source of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and calcium. When finely chopped or coarsely ground they make the perfect savory, nutty “breading” for pan seared chicken or fish. Use the leftover bits from searing the chicken or fish to sauté Swiss chard (high in magnesium, potassium, calcium, and fiber) with garlic and serve with potatoes to make a complete high-potassium meal!
Ingredients:
1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped
almonds
1 Tablespoon Salt-free seasoning
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
2 Tablespoons Cooking oil,
divided (olive, canola, and
grapeseed are good choices) 1
bunch Swiss Chard
3 cloves garlic, minced or
crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
For the Chicken:
1. Prepare your almonds using a food processor, or finely chop with a chef’s knife.
2. Mix the almond meal and seasoning in a shallow plate. Press each piece of chicken into the almond/seasoning mix to coat on all sides. It won’t cover completely like a traditional breadcrumb mix, and that’s ok.
4. Meanwhile, heat your oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add each piece of chicken to the skillet and cook through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.
For the Swiss Chard:
1. Prepare the swiss chard by washing and cutting the leaves away from the stems. Cut leaves into small ribbons and slice stems into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces.
3. To the pan where you cooked the chicken, add diced chard stems and garlic, sauté until slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add ribbons of chard leaves and cook until softened, another 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.