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    One-Pot Chicken with Creamed Kale

    Updated June 17, 2025 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    Richly comforting and company-worthy, this luxe one-pot chicken recipe comes together fast and never fails to impress even the toughest crowd.

    chicken breast with creamed kale topped with Castelvetrano olives and toasted panko breadcrumbs in a skillet

    A Super Exciting Chicken Breast Recipe. No, Really!

    How, you ask, could a boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe be exciting? Well, for one thing, this recipe will only require you to dirty one pan, so clean up is a breeze. But that’s not the most exciting thing about this recipe. Nope, the most exciting part of this recipe is easily the kale. Again—not a joke. We know, if you tell your kids that you’re making chicken breast and kale for dinner, you’re setting yourself up for major eye rolls. But when the chicken breasts are beautifully browned and generously seasoned, and simmered in rich, creamy, mustard-tinged creamed kale, well, just trust us—this chicken and kale situation is seriously exciting.

    ingredients for one pot chicken with creamed kale in bowls on the counter including chicken, Kale, cream, Parmesan and panko
    chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper being browned in olive oil in a skillet
    sliced shallots being cooked in a frying pan
    cooked shallots and garlic in a frying pan

    Everything You’ll Need To Make Our One-Pot Chicken and Kale Recipe

    So many little slightly upgraded ingredients come together in this one-pot chicken dish to make it work so very well and taste so very good. For example, using shallots instead of onions is one of our favorite little tricks for making savory recipes like this taste just a bit more delicious. Shallots are milder and sweeter than regular onions, which have a sharper bite. We love their delicate texture, too. Good olives—you can grab them from the olive bar—and a hunk of Parmesan cheese are both things that are handy and easy to have around! They keep for ages, and you’ll find that they’re incredibly versatile, too. In addition to the stuff we assume you’d never cook without (olive oil, salt and pepper) you’ll need:

    • Boneless, skinless chicken breast

    • Shallots

    • Garlic

    • Kale

    • Heavy cream

    • Parmesan cheese

    • Whole grain mustard

    • Fresh thyme

    • Nutmeg

    • Castelvetrano olives

    • Panko breadcrumbs

    • Butter

    cooked shallots and garlic in pan with kale on top
    shallots, garlic, kale heavy cream, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, nutmeg and salt being cooked in a skillet
    shallots, garlic, kale heavy cream, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, nutmeg and salt being cooked in a skillet
    one-pot chicken with creamed kale made with parmesan, heavy cream, whole grain mustard in a skillet

    How To Make The Best One-Pot Chicken Recipe, Ever

    This wintery one-pan chicken is cozy and easy to make and even easier to love! Here’s how to put your favorite pan—whichever that may be!—to work:

    1. Season and brown the chicken breasts. You don't need to cook them through, because they'll simmer in the creamed kale later.

    2. Sauté the shallots, stir in the garlic and then half of the kale. Raw kale is really bulky, so you'll want to work in batches. When the kale has wilted and there's room in the pan, add the rest of the kale and stir until it's all wilty.

    3. Time to cream the kale! Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, nutmeg and salt.

    4. Nestle the browned chicken breasts into the creamed kale. Add the olives and let the whole beautiful pan simmer for about 15 minutes to let the chicken finish cooking and all the flavors come together.

    5. Toast the panko with some butter and when the chicken is done, sprinkle the whole dish with the buttery, toasty pan with the panko!

    one-pot chicken with creamed kale made with parmesan, heavy cream, whole grain mustard with Castelvetrano olives
    one-pot chicken with creamed kale made with parmesan, heavy cream, whole grain mustard with Castelvetrano olives
    buttery toasted panko breadcrumbs in a frying pan
    one-pot chicken with creamed kale topped with Castelvetrano olives and toasted panko breadcrumbs in a skillet on the counter

    Tools You’ll Need:

    More Easy One-Pot Chicken Recipes

    one-pot chicken with creamed kale topped with Castelvetrano olives and toasted panko breadcrumbs in a skillet on the counter
    one-pot chicken with creamed kale topped with Castelvetrano olives and toasted panko breadcrumbs in a skillet on the counter

    Weeknight Ease: Our Favorite Phrase of All

    Weeknight ease doesn’t have to mean blah and boring—this easy one-pan chicken recipe proves it! Cozy, hearty and simple, this recipe is a win but sacrifices nothing in terms of deliciousness—it’ll please picky toddlers and food snobs alike! What’s not to love? When you try it, we’d love to know about it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

    Our Ultimate 2025 Summer Recipe Round-up!

    FREE EMAIL BONUS: 5 days of "don't-miss-these" recipes for the sunny season

    One-Pot Chicken with Creamed Kale Recipe

    Updated June 17, 2025

    By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  4
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  30 min
    • Calories:  785
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    Description

    Richly comforting and company-worthy, this luxe one-pot chicken recipe comes together fast and never fails to impress even the toughest crowd.

    Ingredients

    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (2 to 2½ pounds)
    • 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 6 cups stemmed and roughly torn Tuscan kale, (1 large bunch)
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
    • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
    • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
    • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

    Method

    1. Season the chicken breasts all over with 2 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

      chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper being browned in olive oil in a skillet

    2. Add the shallots to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. If the shallots begin to brown too quickly, add a splash of water to deglaze. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute. 

      cooked shallots and garlic in a frying pan

    3. Add half of the kale to the pot and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining kale and cook until wilted about 2 more minutes.

      cooked shallots and garlic in pan with kale on top

    4. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, nutmeg, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes.

      shallots, garlic, kale heavy cream, Parmesan, mustard, thyme, nutmeg and salt being cooked in a skillet

    5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and nestle the chicken back into the creamed kale. Add the olives and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. 

      one-pot chicken with creamed kale made with parmesan, heavy cream, whole grain mustard in a skillet

    6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is bubbling, add the panko and stir to coat. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. 

      buttery toasted panko breadcrumbs in a frying pan

    7. Sprinkle the toasted panko over the chicken and kale. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan, if desired.

      One Pot Chicken with Creamed Kale 14

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 785
    • Protein 63 g
    • Carbohydrates 25 g
    • Total Fat 35 g
    • Dietary Fiber 4 g
    • Cholesterol 215 mg
    • Sodium 1403 mg
    • Total Sugars 5 g

    One-Pot Chicken with Creamed Kale

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Melissa

      My son has a severe sensitivity to dairy protein, but this recipe looks delicious! I know my butter subs, but what can I sub for heavy cream? Full fat coconut milk? Would that just completely ruin the taste? What do you use to sub for parmesan? I noticed that is in several meatball recipes, too. It’s such a unique flavor and adds salt - any ideas on how to navigate parm subs? Sorry for all of the questions. This is a new thing for us to work around. Thank you!

      Coconut milk should work fine. You can try finding a vegan parmesan. Daiya makes pretty good vegan cheeses. Of course it will not be the same flavor your used to so just don't expect that.

    • sara

      The recipe looks amazing to me but unfortunately my picky men would not like the olives. Do you think they could be omitted completely? Should I substitute something for the salt factor?

      You can just remove them, no problem!

    • Marne

      How many steps ahead could this be started for a a casual dinner party? Would like to not have to be in the kitchen too much before dinner? Could it be taken as far as Step 3 or 4? If so how far ahead? We've made this, and loved it for our family...

      You can just make it ahead and then reheat in the oven when ready to serve and add the panko when serving.

    • Chris

      Hi there! Would it be possible to sub spinach for the kale in this recipe? Thank you!

      Absolutely!

    • Maggie

      This looks amazing! I hate to ask about an alteration, but would I be able to sub kalamata olives?

      Yes Maggie, that would be fine! Never feel bad to ask, gotta make it work for what you like! Hope you enjoy it!

    • Cindy

      Awesome. I didn't have much parmesan, but enough. My olives were different, but good. I prefer chicken thighs so that's what I had and used. Otherwise, I followed the recipe and it was so good. The kale was straight from my garden. Served it over rice. Something told me to get whipping cream today.

      Thanks Cindy, glad you enjoyed it!

    • Ali

      I loved this dish! Very flavorful and has a lot of texture. I did substitute almond milk for the cream and I think it tastes great! Just a little healthier version.

      Thanks Ali, so happy you loved it and glad the milk sub worked well!

    • Sally

      Delicious

      Thanks Sally, so happy you loved it!

    • Julia

      I’ve made this recipe a few times. It is DELICIOUS just as written. Only tip would be to add a third bunch of kale (and a splash more cream)—its that good!

      Thanks Julia, we are so happy you loved it!

    • Taryn

      Absolutely delicious! I did center cut pork chops instead of chicken. I’ve made this several times, really wowed at a dinner party.

      Thank Taryn, we are so happy you love it! Probably delicious with pork chops as well, nice work!
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