Crispy Panko Chicken and Farro Salad

This crispy panko chicken and farro salad is a quick 15 minute weeknight dinner. It’s easy to make, flavorful and has minimal ingredients.

After a long day at work, I just crave simplicity. This chicken and farro salad is the perfect remedy for that. I love making a super easy dinner, nestling under layers of blankets and binge watching HBO or Netflix. Current faves include 2 Dope Queens, Black Mirror and Last Week Tonight. I take the weeknight unwind pretty seriously though!

I know salad night sounds pretty basic, but a good salad is all about the fix-ins and the dressing. This salad has all the right ingredients for a perfect blend of sweet and salty. I prefer to make salad dressing at home because they’re aren’t unnecessary additives, plus it’s really easy. You can mix any fresh herbs you have lying around with olive oil and vinegar. Shake it up in a mason jar and voila, you have dressing!

Fun Fact: The reason we eat salad with dressing in the first place is because our ancestors realized that the acidity from citrus/vinegar in dressing breaks down greens to help us better digest them.

If you’ve never eaten farro before, it’s a hearty grain similar to barley. The flavor is richer than brown rice and it has a denser texture. The grains are also larger so they’re really filling. I don’t get fancy when I cook it. I follow the package’s cooking instructions and sometimes add in a garlic clove and a sprig of thyme for extra flavor.

If you’re new to my blog and want to learn more about me and my cooking style check out this page!

Crispy Panko Chicken and Farro Salad

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A simple yet hearty salad with a punch of flavor. This crispy panko chicken and farro salad is a quick 15 minute weeknight dinner. It's easy to make, flavorful and has minimal ingredients.

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Main Course, Salad

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time7 minutes

Total Time22 minutes

Servings2

Ingredients

• 2 thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup pre-cooked farro follow package's cooking instructions
• 1 cup grapes sliced in halves
• 1/2 cucumber sliced in strips
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced in strips
• 1/4 dried cranberries or cherries
• 2 tbs walnuts

Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
• Toss chicken with 1 tbsp of olive oil, cayenne, oregano, salt and pepper. Place panko bread crumbs on a large plate. Press each side of the chicken breast into the panko so that it is evenly coated. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place in the broiler for 2-3 minutes to get crispy.
• In a mason jar combine 1/2 cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mint, parsley, salt and pepper. Shake 2-3 minutes until dressing thickens. If it is too loose, add a tad more olive oil.
• Add grapes, cucumber, red pepper, walnuts, pre-cooked farro, arugula and dried cranberries to a bowl. Top with sliced chicken and dressing. Enjoy!

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