Chicken, Farro and Arugula Salad
I’ve often talked about how I find inspiration for the blog from all over the place. Sometimes, I’ll be eating at a restaurant and something on the menu will spark an idea. Or I’ll be perusing the web and come across a certain dish that then will send my mind into a completely new direction with a fun twist. This time around, I got the idea for this Chicken, Farro and Arugula Salad from someone’s instagram story.
Someone posted a picture of a salad they ordered from some restaurant in New York. I had no idea what exactly was in the salad but it looked so good. I knew I immediately wanted to recreate it. I had to study the photo to decipher what was in it. It looked like arugula, farro, croutons, radish, parmesan and the crispiest pan seared chicken. I took it a step further and added some pistachios for a crunch and used thighs instead of breast because I find thighs to be superior in flavor. Then I added my go-to homemade vinaigrette and then next thing you know, BAM we have this Chicken Farro and Arugula Salad. Trust me, this one is a keeper.
Chicken, Farro and Arugula Salad
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large bowl
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1/2 large baguette torn into pieces
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup cooked farro
- 1 bunch radishes thinly sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan
- 1/4 cup pistachios coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Season both sides of chicken liberally with salt, pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika and oregano.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil and lay the chicken, skin side down, in a single layer. Allow to cook, untouched, until deeply golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook on the second side until the chicken has cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and add the torn bread pieces. Season lightly with a bit of salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the croutons have browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a very large bowl, toss together the arugula, farro, radish, tomatoes, shallot, parmesan, pistachio, parsley and basil. Slice the chicken on an angle and add to the bowl.
- To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well combined.
- Add as much dressing to the salad as you’d like and give it a toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!
