Cashew Kale Recipe

Prepare the kale: remove tough stems, stack the leaves, roll tightly and thinly slice into ribbons. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Add grapes and raisins to the bowl with the kale and toss briefly to combine. Keep bowl chilled until plating.

Roughly chop roasted cashews and set aside. Keep crispy tortilla strips in a covered container to retain crunch until serving.

Season chicken

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Rub each breast with 1 tablespoon olive oil (divide evenly), then season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper (divide evenly). Let rest for 5 minutes.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil if the pan is dry. When shimmering, add the chicken breasts and cook 5–7 minutes per side, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain.

Reserve any juices on the cutting board; you can drizzle a little over the sliced chicken when assembling for extra flavor.

Toast the shredded coconut in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

In the same skillet, toast the sesame seeds and chopped cashews for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add toasted coconut back in, stir in ground coriander and sea salt, then remove from heat and let cool. This makes a crunchy finishing sprinkle.

Place the soaked and drained raw cashews, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, minced garlic, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor.

Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add 1–2 tablespoons of water to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more cayenne for heat or more maple for sweetness.

Chill the dressing in the refrigerator while finishing the rest of the salad; it will thicken slightly as it cools.

Massage the kale: drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of the prepared cashew-cayenne dressing over the sliced kale. Using clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1–2 minutes until the leaves darken and soften. This reduces bitterness and makes the kale more tender.

Add the halved grapes, raisins and about half of the chopped roasted cashews to the massaged kale and toss gently to combine. Reserve remaining cashews for garnish.

Divide the dressed kale mixture between 4 plates or bowls (serves 4). Arrange sliced chicken over each portion.

Sprinkle each salad with a teaspoon or so of coconut dukkah, the remaining roasted cashews, and the crispy tortilla strips for crunch.

Finish with an extra drizzle of cashew-cayenne dressing to taste and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately so tortilla strips remain crisp.