Name: Lemony Leftover Chicken and Farro Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken (skinned, boned, diced into 1/2" chunks); 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes (halved); 1/2 english cucumber (sliced lengthwise and cut into thin half moons); 1/2 red onion (finely diced); 1 red (yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite size chunks); 1 cup farro (prepared according to manufacturers instructions); 1 8- ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas, rinsed and drained); 1/2 c kalamata olives (seeded, halved lengthwise); 2 T capers (drained); 1 cup feta cheese (drained and cubed); 1/2 cup italian parsley leaves (fresh chopped); 1 tablespoon mint leaves (optional, chopped); 1 tablespoon oregano (fresh optional, chopped); 1 lemon (zested and juiced); 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced); 2 T dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (or other wine vinegar); 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Here’s a hearty, healthy chicken salad recipe the whole family will love. Use leftover chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken is my go-to) chewy, nutty farro and a bevy of Mediterranean flavors for a bright, delicious farro salad that’s great for picnics and easy summer eating.

Why You’ll Love Lemony Leftover Chicken and Farro Salad

I’ve been making versions of healthy chicken salad like this for years. I love it because it doesn’t get weighed down with goopy mayonnaise or creamy dressings that can become a petri dish of biohazards when sitting out on a hot summer day. Instead, it’s loaded with big identifiable chunks of chicken and fresh vegetables and simply dressed with a lemony vinaigrette.

Since we spend many weekends visiting my parents in the Florida Keys (where it’s perpetually 95° and balmy), we’d rather be boating, swimming or crooning to Jimmy Buffett instead of slaving away in the kitchen. Therefore, I make this leftover chicken farro salad the day before and bring it out the next day at lunchtime along with ice cold drinks and chilled wedges of pineapple and watermelon for an easy, breezy picnic lunch under the chickee hut. (That’s the chickee hut above — and you can’t really see it in this shot, but there is a picnic table under there.)

Ingredients For Leftover Chicken Farro Salad

You can actually take this salad in many different directions depending on what you mix it with, but for this particular rendition, I’m sticking with Mediterranean flavors.

Leftover Chicken Breast Meat
Cooked Farro
Chick Peas
Red Onion
Grape Tomatoes
Bell Pepper (Roasted, peeled and seeded)
Kalmata Olives
Cucumber (I used English cucumbers)
Feta Cheese
Capers
Fresh Parsley
Mint Leaves
Oregano

Pro Tip: The key to this salad is to cook the farro and allow it to cool to room temperature before adding to the other ingredients, otherwise it would wilt the vegetables and you want them to stay vibrant. When cooling the farro, remove the lid to allow the grains to dry out a bit as they cool.

Best Cheese For Healthy Chicken Salad

You can use several types of cheeses in this Mediterranean farro salad. My preference is feta(either the crumbles or a whole block that’s been cut into cubes), but fresh mozzarella chunks, would be great, too. Even shaved parmesan would bring an earthy, umami flair. I usually don’t add the cheese until just before serving to keep the flavors fresh and the texture, palatable. (Not to be gross, but cheese that sits in a salad for a few days can take on a wholly unpleasant texture).

Making Lemon Vinaigrette For Farro Salad

Tangy citrus dressing really adds a lively punch to the flavors in the leftover rotisserie chicken salad and it’s so much better than any ready-made salad dressing.

Ingredients For Lemon Dressing:

Lemon (zest and juice
Garlic
Dijon Mustard
Champagne Vinegar
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Whisk the ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified and dress the salad, tossing well to coat all the ingredients. Note: You may not need all of the vinaigrette for the salad. Add about half of the dressing and toss completely, then taste for seasoning. If it needs more, add it a tablespoon at a time, tossing after each addition.

Versatility of Healthy Chicken Salad

This simple, flavorful leftover chicken farro salad with that citrusy dose of vinaigrette and fresh herbs is an easy, delicious meal, that’s perfect for picnics, potlucks and even pack-n-go work lunches… and if you happen to be vacationing by the shore, make it ahead of time, for a no-fuss, healthy, delicious meal to fuel your fun-filled day.

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More Farro Salad Recipes: