So SURPRISE! I love huge salads. I know some people think that salad is a typical “diet” food. I think they are huge and colorful and a canvas for all the flavors and textures you want! This macro-friendly Arugula Barley Salad with Lemon and Parmesan is fresh and filling—perfect for a spring evening or weeknight lunch.
What you need for the rocket barley salad with lemon and parmesan:
- Chicken breast from the rotisserie
- Kosher salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- paprika
- Boiled Barley (or Farro)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Apples, diced
- Well shaved parmesan romano
- Red onion, diced
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar (or other balsamic vinegar)
- Fresh lemon (optional if using the lemon vinegar)
- olive oil
- arugula
- Roasted pistachios
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation of the arugula barley salad with lemon and parmesan:
I like to use store-bought fried chicken breast for this Arugula Barley Salad, but feel free to use whatever you like! Obviously a tasty grilled chicken would be great. If you’re using an already seasoned grilled chicken, etc., just continue building your salad.
When using rotisserie, I like to go in with my hands to shred it, but feel free to chop a bit if you like shorter pieces. Whatever you choose, just be careful not to overdo it! You don’t want it to feel like canned chicken.
Once your chicken is cut up, heat a skillet with a drizzle of olive or avocado oil until nice and hot. My favorite skillet when I want tons of HOT surface is my large cast iron skillet. I never have to worry about spilling or overfilling the pan because it’s MASSIVE.
Once your pan is nice and hot, season your roast chicken with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika and toss into the hot pan. Leave undisturbed to get some color, then flip and cook the other side for just a minute or less.
Remove the seasoned chicken from the heat and let cool slightly. You don’t want to cook this so long that it tastes like undercooked chicken. Just enough to bring the spice to life and give the chicken a little face lift. If you’re using a delicious grilled chicken, etc., skip this step!
time to throw
Chicken is ready and now it’s time to build this delicious Arugula Salad with Lemon and Parmesan. Take a large bowl and toss together your slightly cooled chicken, barley or farro, tomatoes, apples, parmesan, red onion, and basil. Drizzle with vinegar, lemon and olive oil. If you make this salad ahead of time, you can store it in the fridge and toss it in with the arugula later.
You may already know that I absolutely LOVE my fruit-infused vinegars! I actually use them in almost EVERY salad. This salad is so delicious with the Lemon from Baker and Olive. Baker and Olive is a local business to me but they sell online! If you have local olive oil shops, you will have similar products. Amazing, naturally sweet… You hardly need any more oil on your salad. BUT you can also use your favorite white or dark balsamic vinegar and add a squeeze of fresh lemon.
I love cooking up a bunch of barley or farro to toss into other salads throughout the week, so I’d just measure out a cup of the cooked grain. Brown rice is also a tasty option! However, if you don’t want any grains left over, you should only cook about 2 ounces of raw farro or barley.
Serving suggestions:
To eat, mix with rocket and season with roasted pistachios and salt and pepper. Divide between two bowls. Enjoy! I also like to serve this on top of MORE arugula if I want dinner to last forever haha.
Similar recipes:
Pasta salad with herbs and arugula
Steak and arugula salad
Farro and sweet potato salad with blackened salmon
Summer salad with arugula, basil, pasta and crispy chicken
Farro, arugula salad with lemon and herbs
Salads are one of my love languages ​​and this Arugula Barley Salad with Lemon and Parmesan ticks all the boxes for me. If you’re looking for other macro-friendly ideas, you need to check out my cookbooks. Follow me on Instagram @lillieeatsandtells to see what new recipes we’re trying out. And don’t forget to tag me @lillieeatsandtells if you try any of my recipes. I love seeing your creative approach to healthy eating.
- 1 heaped cup fried chicken breast*
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 Cup cooked barley (or farro) 145 g cooking weight**
- 1 Cup Cherry tomatoes, halved (150g)
- 1 Cup Apples, diced (110g)
- 1/2 Cup well shaved Parmesan Romano (40g)
- 1/4 Cup red onion, diced (40g)
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped (6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar* (or sub any balsamic)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon (optional if using the lemon vinegar)
- 1 tsp olive oil (5g)
- 3-4 Cup arugula (110g)
- 2 tablespoon roasted pistachios (14 grams)
- salt and pepper to taste
-
If you’re using plain fried chicken breasts, pull them apart and remove any gross! Crush with your hands and chop a bit if you like shorter pieces. Not too much, you don’t want it to feel like canned chicken. Heat a pan with a drizzle of olive or avocado oil until nice and hot. Season your rotisserie chicken with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika and toss into the hot skillet, stirring, for about a minute, until fragrant. Flip and cook for just another minute or less. Remove from the stove and let it cook for a while. (You shouldn’t cook it so long that it tastes like parboiled chicken. Just enough to bring the spices to life and give the chicken a little face.) Skip this step if you’re using a delicious grilled chicken, etc!
-
In a large bowl, mix together your slightly cooled chicken, barley or farro, tomatoes, apples, parmesan, red onion, and basil. Drizzle with vinegar, lemon and olive oil. (If you make it ahead of time, you can store it in the fridge to mix with the arugula later.)
-
To eat, mix with rocket and season with roasted pistachios and salt and pepper. Divide between two bowls. Enjoy!
Barley: I just like to cook up a bunch of barley or farro to toss on other salads throughout the week, so I would just measure out a cup of the cooked grain. (Brown rice works, too!) But if you don’t want to have any leftovers, you should only cook about 2 ounces of raw farro or barley.
Vinegar: I LOVE my fruit-infused vinegars and use lemon to make them. I get mine at Baker and Olive which is a local store for me but they sell online! You might see if you have a local olive oil shop to find some. They add SO much to my salads, but if you don’t have specialty lemon vinegar, just use your favorite white or dark balsamic vinegar and add a squeeze of fresh lemon.
I also like to serve this on top of MORE arugula if I want dinner to last forever haha.
MFP: “Lillie eats and tells arugula barley salad with lemon and parmesan”
Portion: 370GFiber: 8.7GCalories: 452kcalFat: 13.2GProtein: 38.1GCarbohydrates: 43.2G