Farro Roasted Chicken Salad

Meet your new go-to salad that is good for you and so delicious. This hearty Farro Roasted Chicken Salad layers nutty grains, crisp pears, toasty pumpkin seeds, and crunchy sourdough croutons over a creamy bed of whipped goat cheese, tied together with a zesty lemon-maple dressing that hits all the right notes. It’s fancy enough for entertaining but easy enough for a weekday lunch.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Farro Roasted Chicken Salad

• Texture Heaven: From chewy farro to creamy goat cheese and crunchy croutons, every bite’s got a little something different going on that is the perfect combination.
• Fresh and flavorful: The lemon-maple dressing and fresh herbs make it bright, tangy, and bursting with flavor.
• Wholesome and satisfying: Packed with protein, fibre, and good fats, this salad actually fills you up and keeps you feeling good. Great for an easy recipe to prep for quick lunches all week!

🍲 Ingredients

Farro: Farro is a grain brings a nutty flavor and chewy texture that makes the salad hearty and satisfying. It’s rich in fibre, protein, and essential nutrients like magnesium and iron. This salad is perfect for keeping you energized and full longer.

Goat Cheese: Goat cheese is light, tangy, and creamy. It adds a touch of flavor and creaminess that ties all the flavors together. The best part is that it’s easier to digest than cow’s milk cheese and provides a good dose of calcium and healthy fats.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Farro Roasted Chicken Salad

1. Cook the farro: Cook the farro according to package instructions (this will take about 30-40 minutes). When the farro is al dente / still has a bit of a bite, it’s done cooking, drain from the water and set aside to cool.
2. Make the croutons: Toast the two slices of sourdough bread in the toaster. Let cool a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Then, tear into 1 inch pieces and add to a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp salt and toss to coat the croutons. Set aside.
3. Whip the goat cheese: To a food processor add the plain goat cheese, lemon zest, kosher salt and olive oil. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
4. Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients – olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, ground cumin, chili flakes, lemon zest, pressed garlic, dijon mustard and kosher salt. Set aside.
5. Toast the pumpkin seeds: Turn a skillet to medium heat and when the pan is hot add the pumpkin seeds. Toast, stirring occasionally until fragrant and starting to brown, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
6. Toss with the dressing: To a large bowl add the cooked farro, toasted pumpkin seeds, pulled chicken, chickpeas, sliced pear, diced red onion, mint leaves and parsley leaves. Drizzle with all of the dressing and toss to combine. Set aside.
7. Assemble the salad: Spread the whipped goat cheese on a large plate or platter. Scoop the salad into a mound on top of the goat cheese. Garnish with the sourdough croutons and enjoy!

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• Cook the Farro Ahead: Farro keeps well in the fridge for a few days, so you can prep it in advance to save time.
• Whip It: Let the goat cheese come to room temp before blending, it’ll whip up smoother and creamier.
• Toast With Care: Keep an eye on the pumpkin seeds while toasting, they go from golden to burnt real fast.
• Dress It Fresh: Toss the salad with dressing just before serving so the croutons stay nice and crunchy.
• Make It Your Own: Swap the chicken for roasted chickpeas or salmon, or try apples instead of pears for a twist.

🗒 Substitutions

• Grain: Use quinoa, brown rice, or barley instead of farro for a quicker cook time or a gluten-free option.
• Cheese: If goat cheese isn’t your thing, try whipped feta or a dollop of ricotta for a similar creamy vibe.
• Protein: Sub in grilled tofu, shrimp, or lentils instead of chicken to make it vegetarian.
• Nuts & Seeds: Sunflower seeds or chopped almonds can stand in for pumpkin seeds if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
• Fruit: Swap pears for apples, peaches, or even roasted sweet potatoes depending on the season.
• Bread: Use any crusty bread (like ciabatta or multigrain) in place of sourdough for those irresistible croutons.

🍽️ Best served with

• Fluffy Greek Pita
• No-Knead Bread

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover salad in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is a great recipe to meal prep for a quick, nutritious lunch.

🤔 Common Questions

Farro Roasted Chicken Salad

5 from 1 vote

This Farro Roasted Chicken Salad is the perfect healthy dish for meal prep or to serve at your next dinner party. It has creamy goat cheese, a delicious dressing, and feels luxurious but is easy to make!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, Salad

Cuisine American-Inspired

Servings 6 -8 as a side salad (4 as a main)

Calories 635 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup uncooked Bob’s Red Mill farro

For the croutons

• 2 slices sourdough bread, torn into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder

For the whipped goat cheese

• 300 grams plain goat cheese
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the dressing

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of one large lemon
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ – ½ tsp ground cumin (start with 1/4 tsp , add ¼ tsp more if desired based on your preference)
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• 2 small garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the salad

• 1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill pumpkin seeds toasted
• 2 cups pulled cooked rotisserie chicken, pull into larger pieces – not shredded
• 14-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 Bosc pear, sliced
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup loosely packed whole fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves

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Instructions

 

• Cook the farro: Cook the farro according to package instructions (this will take about 30-40 minutes). When the farro is al dente / still has a bit of a bite, it's done cooking, drain from the water and set aside to cool.
• Make the croutons: Toast the two slices of sourdough bread in the toaster. Let cool a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Then, tear into 1 inch pieces and add to a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp salt and toss to coat the croutons. Set aside.
• Whip the goat cheese: To a food processor add the plain goat cheese, lemon zest, kosher salt and olive oil. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients – olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, ground cumin, chili flakes, lemon zest, pressed garlic, dijon mustard and kosher salt. Set aside.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds: Turn a skillet to medium heat and when the pan is hot add the pumpkin seeds. Toast, stirring occasionally until fragrant and starting to brown, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
• Toss with the dressing: To a large bowl add the cooked farro, toasted pumpkin seeds, pulled chicken, chickpeas, sliced pear, diced red onion, mint leaves and parsley leaves. Drizzle with all of the dressing and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Assemble the salad: Spread the whipped goat cheese on a large plate or platter. Scoop the salad into a mound on top of the goat cheese. Garnish with the sourdough croutons and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• We love to serve this salad on a large platter. However, you could also serve on side plates for each person- divide the goat cheese between 4-6 side plates, spreading on the bottom of each. Add the salad on top of the goat cheese layer, dividing between the plates and then garnish with croutons.
• If you love this grain salad, try our Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.7g | Protein: 23.7g | Fat: 32.8g | Saturated Fat: 10.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 64.1mg | Sodium: 700.8mg | Fiber: 6.6g | Sugar: 7.9g

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