You know I love bowl foods. Just throw a bunch of stuff that may seem random but is actually very well-curated in a bowl. Add some grains underneath and you got yourself a “bowl food”. It is basically a deconstructed version of many dishes, cultures, and meals, but put together in one bowl. This Mediterranean grain bowl is packed with flavors inspired by Greek salad, lemon grilled chicken, and many more. And it features my new favorite grain – farro.
This Mediterranean bowl is one of the best farro recipes I have ever made. It is super refreshing but hearty at the same time. This could very easily be a salad that is on a table at a summer grill out. The chicken can be made on the grill to add this summer farro salad to another dimension of flavor.
One of my foolproof chicken marinades for the summer is this lemon and herb marinade. It goes well with any kind of meat AND fish. It can also be used as a simple vinaigrette because it consists of:
- Olive oil;
- Lemon juice;
- Lemon zest;
- Honey
- Fresh chopped herbs like parsley, basil, mint, dill, etc.
- Salt and pepper.
It is so easy to whip up and so good.
This Mediterranean farro salad recipe is super versatile. You can mix and match the veggies, add different greens, top with different cheese. The possibilities are endless. I like the mix of fresh veggies and the pickled red onions on top. I really do make a jar of these every week and put them on everything. They are the best on the 2nd day.
In order to make this farro salad with arugula and feta, you will first have to locate some farro. You can swap it for any other favorite grain of yours, but farro is very filling and healthy. When I cook with farro, I tend to follow this cooking guide. It helps me understand what kind of farro I have, what the cooking time will be, etc. There are not so many recipes with farro because it is an unpopular and misunderstood grain. I love how we are discovering all these ingredients that our ancestors, not so long ago, cooked with.
This Mediterranean grain bowl is easy, delicious, packed with flavor, and fun to make for a party. It is a super fun greek farro salad. You can as well just toss it all together and let the flavors marry, or serve it as a bowl with each ingredient separate. Whatever way you choose, you will enjoy this salad!
Mediterranean grain bowl with lemon chicken and feta
Ingredients
Chicken in lemon and herb marinade
- 500 g chicken thighs
- 2 tsp honey
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh herbs chopped (peppermint, basil, parsley, cilantro)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Mediterranean grain bowl:
- Farro
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Arugula
- Radishes
- Red onion pickled or fresh
- Green olives
- Fresh herbs
Instructions
- Cook the farro according to the cooking guide or package instrutions
- Make the chicken marinade by mixing everything in a bowl and rubbing on to the chicken
- Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high and place in the chicken thighs, cook from each side for 3-5 minutes until browned and slightly charred
- Pour any remaining marinade in the pan and cook for 2 more minutes
- Then remove the pan from heat and cover with a lid or foil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving
- Make the grain bowl by adding the farro to a large plate or serving bowl, top with some arugula or other greens, the veggies, and the sliced chicken
- Top with olives, feta cheese and some basil and pepperment leaves