Easy, healthy, and flavorful chicken pesto farro bowls.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4people
Author: Caitlin Charlton
Ingredients
8ozfarroI use 10 minute farro, see notes
1cuphomemade or store-bought basil pesto
freshly grated parmesan cheesefor topping
Chicken
1lbboneless skinless chicken breasts2-3 breasts, see note for prep tips
½teaspoonKosher salt
¼teaspoonfreshly cracked black pepper
¼tsp garlic powder
¼teaspoonItalian seasoning
1tablespoonbutter
1tablespoonolive oil
Cherry Tomatoes
1pintcherry or sugar plum tomatoes
1teaspoonolive oil
¼teaspoonKosher salt
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook farro according to directions on box and farro is chewy with a slight bite (see note). Drain. Toss with pesto.
Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat a large pan on medium-high heat and add butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook on one side for 5-7 minutes then flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink the in middle and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest for 2 minutes then dice into bite-sized pieces.
Meanwhile, make the tomatoes. Heat a medium pan on medium heat. Add tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. Stir occasionally and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until tomatoes just begin to burst open and soften.
To assemble the bowls, place the pesto farro at the bottom of the bowl, top with diced chicken, and roasted tomatoes. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan. Grab a big fork and dig in!
Notes
I get 10-minute farro at Trader Joe's. Farro can take 10-40 minutes to cook depending on the type that you get. Follow the directions on the box of your farro and cook until chewy and slightly tender.
To prep the chicken, I always recommend making sure the entire chicken breast is a similar thickness throughout by pounding the chicken breast. This will prevent one half from being rare while the other half is overcooked. To do this, place a piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or saran wrap on top of the chicken and use a heavy pot or meat pounder to pound into a similar thickness throughout.