If you follow Daily Ciabatta on instagram, you were probably bombarded with photo after photo of our amazing trip to New Orleans last week. My mom and I spent our time there exploring the french quarter and digging into some of the most amazing food I’ve ever had. It was a blast, but all the gumbo, pecan pie, and poboys have me ready to get back to a lighter eating routine.
This pineapple zucchini farro salad fits the bill. It’s got sweet pineapple, chewy farro, and crunchy cashews along with shredded zucchini and kale. I also grilled some chicken to toss on top to make this a complete meal.
I love these grain salads (see here, here, and here) for several reasons:
- They keep all week and get more flavorful the longer they sit
- I can pack them into individual containers for lunch
- My husband won’t touch anything with kale so I don’t have to worry about him eating the rest of the leftovers
I’m switching up my regular grilled chicken breast with a simple sweet and spicy chipotle glaze. The glaze gets brushed on halfway through the cooking process which helps keep the sugars in the honey from burning on the grill. It adds just the right amount of sweetness and a touch of heat to take this chicken up a notch.
Make this salad on Sunday and have lunch for the rest of the week. And feel free to switch out the grain. I like the chewiness that farro brings to the dish, but if you have another favorite grain tell me about it in the comments below!
Pineapple Zucchini Farro Salad with Honey Chipotle Chicken
Serves 2-4
For the Chicken
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 3/4 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Tsp Chipotle Powder
- Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
- 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
Preheat your grill to medium or use a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Combine the honey, vinegar, chipotle powder and crushed red pepper in a bowl and stir to combine. Rub the olive oil on the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill or in your pan and cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Brush half of the honey mixture over the cooked side of the chicken and allow to cook for 4 more minutes. Flip and brush the chicken with the rest of the mixture. Flip one last time and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Salad
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 Cups Kale, chopped
- 1 Cup Chopped Pineapple
- 1 Zucchini, shredded or grated
- 1 Cup Farro, cooked according to the package directions
- Juice from 1 Lime
- Cashews, for serving*
Pour the olive oil over the kale and use your hands to massage the kale to soften it. Add the chopped pineapple, zucchini, and farro and stir to combine. Dress with the lime juice and toss until it’s incorporated. Top the salad with the cooked chicken and cashews and enjoy!
*If you’re making this salad ahead of time, wait to add the cashews until you’re enjoying the salad so the nuts don’t get soft.
