Chicken & Farro

Why make an entrée and a salad when you can combine them into one? Even without the chicken, this dish of cauliflower, nutty farro (my favorite), tangy oranges and peppery watercress has enough body to be a meal on its own.

High in fiber and full of complex carbs and protein, farro is an ancient grain that can support itself, as well as the entire dish. It’s cooked like rice, but takes less time at only about 18 minutes.

Cauliflower is most often seen in white but there are green and purple varieties too. If you happen to come across one of those options, try it out in this dish for a little more color.

And if you like this, check out the “farrotto” recipe I came up with the other night, experimenting in the kitchen. It’s just plain awesome!

From Cuisine Magazine

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry semi-pearled arro
• 2 cups fresh cauliflower florets (white, purple or green_
• 1/3 cup fresh squeeze juice of an orange
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp minced orange zest
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 bunch watercress
• 3 oranges, peeled and chopped
• 1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup torn fresh mint leaves

Directions

• Cook farro in a bot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Add cauliflower in the last minute of cooking. It keeps its crunch but loses the raw bite. Drain.
• Bake chicken in the oven at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until done. Be sure to add 1/8” water in the bottom of the pan for juicy (not dry) chicken.
• Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, zest and Djon, gradually whisk in oil until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine farro, cauliflower, watercress, oranges, chicken, raisins and mint into a large bowl. Stir in vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve farro warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 525 calories, 16g total fat, 209mg sodium, 67g carbs, 8g fiber, 26g protein