This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used. — This image is © 2015 by Life As She Does It. Please link back or credit if any content or images are used.

One of my love languages is cooking good food for people. Well, when my friend, Carly, and I had some work to do for Life As She Does It, I decided to repay all her sincere efforts to help me by doing just that. (That, and the fact that she and her husband, Jon, truly - I mean TRULY - want to save the world; and to do so, you need NOURISHMENT!)This casserole is loaded with chicken, the ever-so-trendy kale (which is the new orange, which is apparently the new black) and TONS of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Since I am the low-carb girl, I kept it just that way, but in the interest of Carly NOT having an aversion to carbs, I made thyme-fried potatoes to serve under the casserole. This was rich and ridiculously delicious so it gave the impression that it was really difficult and took forever to make (hence, the name), but hang tight: you will not BELIEVE how easy and quick it was!

CHEESY CHICKEN AND KALE CASSEROLE

2 pkgs chicken breasts, cut into about 1-inch cubes

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

sea salt

pepper

1 tbs paprika

1 tbs cumin

1 tbs garlic powder

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 pkg frozen kale, thawed

1/2 onion, diced fine

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is heating, heat enough evoo in a pan to cover the bottom on medium heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and add other spices, stirring every so often until the chicken is cooked through, about three-to-four-minutes. Pour chicken into a prepared baking dish.

Pop one piece in your mouth, because you just can't help it. Mix your sour cream, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and cover the chicken. Rinse out your bowl (Yes. I am saving you from unnecesary dirty dishes later. You're welcome) squeeze any excess liquid out of the kale with your hand (Over the sink, silly!) and put in the bowl you just rinsed. Add the diced onion and stir. Since your hands already have kale all over them, use your hands to spread the kale over the chicken and sour cream-mayo-Parm mixture.

Now. (Wash your hands) Cover that sucker with the mozzarella cheese that has been screaming this entire time to join the party. Bake for twenty-to-twenty-five minutes, until that cheese has turned a beautiful brown on top. Serve over thyme fried potatoes; recipe below.

THYME-FRIED POTATOES

high-heat oil (I use canola)

potatoes, washed and sliced

1 bunch thyme

sea salt

pepper

Bundle thyme with twine or string and place in the middle of your pot (I used the pot from my chicken for the flavor) Pour oil into a heavy pot (I use my cast-iron Dutch oven, of course) up to about an inch. heat on medium-high heat. Oil is ready when the thyme starts to sizzle.

Gently place potatoes in, in a circle. Don't over-crowd your pot! Flip them after about a minute-and-a-half, and using a metal slotted spoon, take them out and place on paper towel to drain off excess oil. Sprinkle immediately with sea salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle with a little thyme and serve under the casserole or on their own. Trust me - these are NEVER left over!

Parma-chameleon

Sheila Garcia