Poached Chicken and Farro Salad

35 Minutes

〰️

35 Minutes 〰️

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1 pear, thinly sliced

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 3 leaves of silverbeet, chopped

• A handful of mint, chopped

• A handful of parsley, chopped

• 1 cup of uncooked farro

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup tamari almonds

• 1/4 cup pesto

For the Vinaigrette:

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon honey

• Salt, to taste

Method

Poach the Chicken: In a pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover with a lid, and turn off the heat. Let sit for 25 minutes before removing and shredding the chicken. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the Salad Ingredients: While the chicken is cooling, prepare the salad components. Thinly slice the pear, avocado, fennel bulb; chop the silverbeet, mint, and parsley.

Cook the Farro: Fill a medium sized pot with water and a pinch of salt, pour in the farro. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down for a gentle simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, then drain the farro and set aside.

Make the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt until well combined.

Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sliced pear, avocado, chopped silverbeet, mint, parsley, cooked farro, and sliced fennel. Toss gently to mix. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Drizzle the pesto over the salad and sprinkle with tamari almonds for a savory crunch.

Notes

Now I know I shouldn't have favourites, but between us, I think this is one of them… Just trust me on this one; it's delicious! You can pre-poach the chicken a few days before making this salad and store it in the fridge. I tend just to use fresh store-bought pesto as it's a real time saver; always look for the freshly made ones in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. If you can't find Tamari almonds and don't feel like making any, I do urge you to toast your almonds in a pan for a few minutes to add crunch and flavour!