With barely any prep work, you can have this Quick Pan Roasted Salmon with Chickpeas and Kale on your table in less than 20 minutes. Chickpeas with a touch of cumin go perfectly with salmon and honey Dijon glaze for this easy recipe.
When I am not following a recipe and making up something as I go along, I sometimes forget to write down measurements and steps. I'd be in the moment and not thinking about how I'm going make the dish again. Recently, my daughter requested this salmon with chickpeas and kale dish for dinner. It had been three years since I'd made it and I didn't write the recipe down.
Luckily, there is this thing called the internet! I remembered being inspired by a Bobby Flay recipe, which I quickly found, and it all came back to me. While the original recipe sounds delicious, I had to pare down the ingredients and steps. Here is the original recipe.
What was part of a vinaigrette, now became a glaze. I omitted the capers and shallots and substituted the mustard greens for kale. If you like capers, by all means, throw 'em on top of the salmon. I slimmed down the steps quite a bit, making this an all in one pan recipe. When you are limited on time to get dinner ready you try all the short cuts and tricks. Am I right?
I've heard some people say they don't have success with cooking salmon. One common complaint is that it falls apart or that it's dry. For cooking salmon successfully, try my salmon cooking tips: flip once, use a nonstick skillet or seasoned cast iron skillet, and be careful to not overcook. Internal temperature should be somewhere between 125° and 140°. Remember, food will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat. Keep this residual cooking time in mind. Here is a great article about cooking salmon - click here
Thanks to my daughter for reminding me of this delicious salmon, this recipe will now go down in the books, as they say. I hope you enjoy this.
Until next time, friends. XO!
Quick Pan Roasted Salmon with Chickpeas and Kale
Serves 4
Salmon
4 six-ounce salmon fillets, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Olive oil
Kale and Chickpeas
1 bunch lacinato kale (not curly kale) Ribs removed and the leaves chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, and rinsed of foam
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 lemon wedge (optional)
Method
In a medium-sized bowl, add drained and rinsed chickpeas, and chopped kale. Season with 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, and 1 teaspoon cumin. Add finely minced garlic and mix to combine. Set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 450°. Mix together the honey and Dijon mustard. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel. Season salmon with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Brush or spoon half of the glaze over the top of salmon.
Heat a large, shallow, ovenproof, non-stick skillet over high heat. Drizzle about a teaspoon, or two, of olive oil on the bottom of the skillet. Place salmon, flesh side down, in the skillet. Sear salmon for about 2 to 3 minutes, until top side down, is golden. Flip salmon, remove skillet from heat.
Place chopped kale and chickpeas around salmon. Squeeze 1/4 lemon juice all over salmon, kale, and chickpeas. Brush more glaze over the salmon, and pour any leftover glaze over the kale and chickpeas. Place skillet on the upper rack in the oven. Roast salmon for about 8 to10 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon. Internal temperature should be between 125° to 140°.