Some weeknights you want fish on the table and one pan in the sink. This is that dinner. Cod seared until the edges go golden, then set back into a skillet of chickpeas and kale that came together around it in about four minutes. Prep to plate is 19 minutes, and it serves four.
The order is what makes it work. Sear the cod first and lift it out while the middle is still short of done, then build everything else in the same pan. The garlic and smoked paprika go into the oil the fish left behind, and that is why the chickpeas taste like more than chickpeas. The fillets come back at the end for about two minutes, long enough to reach 145°F and finish in the steam off the greens.
Add the kale in handfuls rather than all at once, so each batch has room to wilt instead of steaming in a crowded pan. Cannellini beans stand in for the chickpeas, and a pinch of red pepper flakes goes in with the paprika if you want heat.
