Leftover chicken, farro, and veggies

Contributed by Preston Maring, MD


Leftover chicken, farro, and veggies

This is one of those "one-dish meals" that takes very little time and effort to prepare and makes good use of the leftover chicken you might already have from a recent roast chicken dinner.

Farro is that ancient nutty nutritious whole grain that's quicker and easier to prepare than rice. Arugula is easy to find at farmers' markets in season or at the grocery store.

Bottled sun-dried tomatoes are easy to find. Lemons are in season and make a great vinaigrette. Focused on grain and veggies with the chicken more as a condiment, this recipe fits the new food pyramids you hear about.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup farro
  • 12 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 4 cups loosely packed arugula
  • 8 ounces leftover chicken, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cover the farro with water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until it is chewy tender.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes into 1/2 inch wide strips.
  3. Combine the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and whisk. Drain the farro then toss in a large salad bowl with the arugula. Use your hands.
  4. Add the vinaigrette to a sauce pan and warm it. Add the chicken and tomatoes and heat through briefly.
  5. Toss this mixture with the farro and arugula.
  6. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Nutrition information (per serving)

  • Calories: 237
  • Total fat: 12 g
  • Saturated fat: 2 g
  • Trans fat: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 43 mg
  • Sodium: 169 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 32 g
  • Dietary fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 24 g