Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Best if you can refrige chicken up to 24 hours, but if you are cooking it right away, set aside while you prepare remaining ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Melt coconut oil in dutch oven. Put chicken breast side up over medium and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds. Carefully flip and crisp the other side for another 30 seconds.
Transfer the chicken back into the pot, breast side up, and add the cinnamon stick, star anise, chopped cilantro stems, lemon, lemongrass, garlic, onion and coconut milk. Cook uncovered in the preheated oven for 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 30 minutes with sauce from pot.
Chicken is done after 2 hours. Take chicken out of pot and remove lemon peel, lemongrass twigs. Reduce sauce to half and then add the kale. Slice chicken, serve over brown rice, black rice or quinoa. Spoon sauce over chicken and grain. Garnish with cilantro and scallions… YUM