When I was at Pike Place Market earlier this week I stopped by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and scored some Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk cheese that was slightly funkier than normal. As my choice of verb indicates I have a love of cheese that borders on addiction! So it was with gluttonous joy that I brought home half a small wheel of it and stashed it in my refrigerator. Over the next 24 hours I could hear its creamy siren song beckoning me from the dairy drawer. I have been trying to be virtuous lately, both in an effort to take off some weight, as well as to continue on the path to healthy digestion. Therefore, I found myself contemplating ways of building a whole dinner around it that highlighted the cheese, maintained my recent virtuousness and above all, silenced the damned cheese.

In this dish the wonderful bitterness of Kale is well complimented by the creamy texture and slight muskiness of the cheese, giving the rather bland chicken breast a magnificent flavor. The key in this recipe is to use chicken cutlets, basically a chicken breast cut in half lengthwise and lightly pounded, and to not over cook the chicken. If you do not like funky cheese you can make this with a standard Brie, although I will lose a bit of respect for you. Another, more respectable option, would be a fresh chèvre.

Ingredients:
3 Chicken Breast Cutlets (roughly 3/4 pound)
4 Cups Chopped Kale (I used baby kale but any will work)
1 Tsp Garlic (about 1 large or 2 small cloves minced)
3 Ounces Stinky Cheese sliced into three even slices.
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F

Place kale into a dry skillet over high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the kale has reduced in size significantly.

Add salt and garlic and cook for another 30-45 seconds being careful not to burn the garlic.

Set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Wipe out pan and place back over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and saute chicken 3 minutes on both sides or until the chicken has been browned on the outside but is not all the way cooked all the way through.

Transfer the cutlets to a half sheet tray lined with aluminum foil and top with Kale and cheese. Place into oven and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F.

Serve with a salad and apply to face.