As promised, I want to share my new recipe attempt this week in my Farro Salad made in the Instant Pot. I got the Instant Pot as a gift for Christmas. At first, I felt intimidated by it, but Mary had a stove problem and was left without one for a few weeks. I took my Instant Pot over along with some crockpot meals I had made and stored in the freezer. It was a good introduction and now I have been trying to incorporate it into my regular repertoire. Farro seemed like a great fit for a pressure cooker. It is a wonderful grain that I first made when I had Blue Apron. I had bought some after that and it has just sat in my pantry waiting for the right recipe (or for me to remember it was there 😀 ). Farro can take a long time to cook because it absorbs less water than rice over a longer time frame. The Instant Pot takes care of that taking the cooking from an hour to about 20 minutes. I also love that I can set it and not worry too much about it, since it will let me know when the time is up. The other great thing about farro is that you can mix things up early in the week and it will hold up without getting soggy. The grilled veggies add great smoky flavor and the vinaigrette is bright and flavorful. Enjoy right away or later in the week!
Grilled Veggie and Chicken Farro Salad with Grilled Lemon Vinaigrette
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Juice from two lemons, reserve the zest from one
1 cup uncooked farro
Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
3 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn basil leaves, and thyme leaves (or whatever you have on hand)
For the Vinaigrette:
Mix the juice from one lemon, olive oil, salt pepper and honey if you have it. Reserve for the salad.
For the Farro:
I started the farro on the saute function with a bit of butter and some green onions. Once the onions start to soften, add the farro to toast the grain until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cancel that function and add the liquid. I used chicken stock, but water would also work. You can season this with whatever you like for any recipe you have on hand. Put the lid on and lock. Set the function to manual and set the timer for 15-20 minutes. I live at altitude and sometimes grains need a little extra time and liquid here. I usually add an extra 1/4 cup of liquid and 5-10 minutes of time. You could shorten the cooking time and let the Instant Pot slow release. I am a bit impatient and let it go a little longer and used the quick release. I pulled the lid off and left it on keep warm for about 5 minutes to let some of the liquid finish absorb. Unlike rice, you will still need to strain off the extra liquid. Once finished, put in a large bowl and toss with a couple tablespoons of vinaigrette and the lemon zest. Set aside while you prepare the veggies and chicken.
For the Grill:
Combine juice from one lemon, the crushed garlic, half of the the herbs, salt, pepper and a little olive oil in a zip top bag. Add the chicken and marinate 30 minutes to several hours. Prepare the veggies and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill. Cook the chicken 5-7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Cook the veggies until charred and tender. Times will vary depending on what you use. Chop finished chicken and veggies into bite sized and roughly uniform pieces.
Finish by combining the cooked farro, veggies, chicken and toss with the rest of the vinaigrette (to taste). Enjoy!
Kelly
**All opinions are my own and I was not compensated by any of the products mentioned. These are just things I use in my kitchen.
