High Protein Lemon Chicken Farro Salad For Meal Prep

This high fiber, high protein Honey Mustard Chicken Farro Salad has been my go-to make ahead recipe recently. Loaded with crisp bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumber, red onion, and juicy pan-fried chicken, this is a tangy salad you can eat with your spoon. It’s one of those meals that you can prepare ahead, and tastes even better a day later! This salad never gets soggy and stays super super yummy. If you’re looking for a tasty meal prep idea that’s packed with fiber, protein, and so much flavor, this salad recipe is for you!

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Farro Chicken Salad

• Super Easy Meal Prep with Chicken Farro Salad
• Farro Chicken Salad Ingredients
  • High Protein, High Fiber Farro
  • Best Vegetables For Scoopable Farro Salad
• Honey Mustard Lemon Dressing
  • Mediterranean-Inspired Marinated Chicken Thighs
• How To Make Farro Chicken Salad
  • Make A Salad Combo with These Sandwich Or Soup Recipes!

Super Easy Meal Prep with Chicken Farro Salad

It’s marathon week, and this week I’m making a ton of healthy recipes that will give you long, sustained energy to prepare for my half-marathon. Trust me, this easy Chicken Farro Salad is exactly that. I’ve actually been having this salad so often lately! 

I love that you can prep everything ahead of time and eat it all with a spoon. This salad actually tastes even better after a few days in the fridge. For everything from a busy week, road trips, to post-workout lunches, this salad makes a quick meal for any scenario. It is crunchy, chewy, fresh, and savory. Even if you’re not a salad person, I promise this one will change your life.

Farro Chicken Salad Ingredients

High Protein, High Fiber Farro

This tart grain salad recipe wouldn’t be the same without Farro, an ancient Mediterranean grain. I actually learned about farro from a Pilates teacher and it’s changed my life! Farro has a nutty flavor and the chewiest most satisfying texture. It’s very high in fiber, high in protein, with tons of other nutrients and minerals packed in. It’s very very good for your gut and your heart health.

This yummy but healthy grain is a great base for a salad or a grain bowl. Once cooked, it soaks up the all the flavors you add to it and stays chewy. My favorite way to cook it is with a vegetable stock at a 2 to 1 ratio (vegetable stock to farro). If you have time, pre-soak your farro for about half an hour or more so it can cook a little faster. 

Best Vegetables For Scoopable Farro Salad

One of my favorite things about this farro salad is that you can eat it with a spoon. I intentionally chose vegetables that either can be chopped into small pieces or already come that way, like sweet corn.

This recipe was also a great excuse to use up a few fridge veggies I had on hand, but it is super flexible. You can use whatever fresh vegetables you love or need to clear out. I went with bell peppers and corn for the crunch and sweetness, cucumber for the fresh bite, red onion for a little kick, and cherry tomatoes for some tangy juiciness

Honey Mustard Lemon Dressing

This honey mustard lemon dressing we’re using today is light, tangy, and made with just a few pantry ingredients. It’s a slight variation to my 1 minute Honey Mustard Vinaigrette that’s so easy to whip together. It combines olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey for a simple salad dressing that’s sweet, sharp, and citrusy. The texture is slightly creamy but not all heavy. It’s ideal for grain salads, leafy greens, or even roasted vegetables.

Mediterranean-Inspired Marinated Chicken Thighs

I’m adding in some marinated, pan-fried chicken thighs today for the extra protein, but feel free to skip it completely for a fully vegan-friendly version.

For some extra flavorful topping for our grain salad, we’re marinating the chicken using a Mediterranean-inspired blend spices for a smoky, garlicky flavor. This blend includes oregano, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and of course, lots of minced garlic.

How To Make Farro Chicken Salad

1. In a bowl, marinade the chicken with minced garlic, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.
2. Combine farro and vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the grains are tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
3. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and let it cool.
4. While the farro cools, chop bell peppers, cucumbers, onion, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
5. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, oregano, mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
6. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the marinated chicken for 5–7 minutes per side or until golden and fully cooked. Let it rest for a few minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
7. In a large bowl, combine cooked farro, chopped chicken, all the vegetables, and drizzle with the dressing. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
8. Adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Make A Salad Combo with These Sandwich Or Soup Recipes!

High Protein Lemon Farro Chicken Salad For Meal Prep

By Tiffy Cooks

5 from 1 vote

This high fiber, high protein Honey Mustard Chicken Farro Salad has been my go-to make ahead recipe recently. Loaded with crisp bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumber, red onion, and juicy pan-fried chicken, this is a tangy salad you can eat with your spoon. It's one of those meals that you can prepare ahead, and tastes even better a day later! This salad never gets soggy and stays super super yummy. If you're looking for a tasty meal prep idea that's packed with fiber, protein, and so much flavor, this salad recipe is for you!

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Cook Time:35 minutes mins

Total Time:35 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, chicken thigh, cucumber salad, Healthy, Salad, vegetable

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 662kcal

Equipment

• Non-stick pan

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs boneless
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 3 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp for pan frying
• 3 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 lemons worth
• 1 cup farro
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1.5 tbsp Lemon juice 1/2 lemon worth
• 3 bell peppers Different colors, chopped
• 1 red onion chopped
• 2 Cucumbers chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup corn kernels

Lemon Honey Mustard Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice 1 lemons worth
• 1 tsp salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a bowl, marinade the chicken with minced garlic, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice.
  
• Combine farro and vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the grains are tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
  
• Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and let it cool.
  
• While the farro cools, chop bell peppers, cucumbers, onion, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
  
• In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, oregano, mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
  
• Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the marinated chicken for 5–7 minutes per side or until golden and fully cooked. Let it rest for a few minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
  
• In a large bowl, combine cooked farro, chopped chicken, all the vegetables, and drizzle with the dressing. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
  
• Adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
  

Notes

If you pre-soak your farro for about half an hour or more, it can cook a little faster. 

Nutrition

Calories: 662kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 28gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 1758mgPotassium: 1060mgFiber: 13gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3646IUVitamin C: 144mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 4mg