Seared Chicken Thighs & Lemon-Butter Sauce

Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Large dice the potatoes. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Grate the Grana Padano on the small side of a box grater. If necessary, grate the fontina on the large side of a box grater. Halve the lemon crosswise; squeeze the juice into a bowl, straining out the seeds. Add the demi-glace and 2 tablespoons of water; stir to combine. 

Add the diced potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook 16 to 18 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the grated fontina and a drizzle of olive oil. Using a fork or potato masher, mash to your desired consistency. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

While the potatoes cook, in a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped kale and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl and add half the grated Grana Padano; toss to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

While the kale cooks, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

To the pan of reserved fond, add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook on medium-high, whisking constantly and scraping up any fond, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until heated through. Turn off the heat. Add the butter and whisk until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked chicken with the mashed potatoes and finished kale. Top the chicken with the finished sauce. Garnish the kale with the remaining grated Grana Padano. Enjoy!