I absolutely love a good antipasto. Every once in a while, I get a crazy bad craving for an authentic antipasto, loaded with fresh mozz, provolone, Italian meats, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, pepperoncinis, and occasionally some lettuce. It’s just one of those dishes that satisfies all the needs ~ protein, calcium, vitamin C, etc. And yeah, yeah, yeah, you can argue that the meats and cheeses are high in fats or cholesterol, but like much of Italian food, the meats and cheeses are well-balanced. If we Americanized this salad, we’d remove the veggies and make this all a cheese and meat “salad.”
When I was pregnant, my first trimester was almost nonstop cravings for caprese salads. I think I went to the store almost daily for a bit there to load up on tomatoes and fresh mozz. And as much as I love caprese salads, I am such a huge fan of antipasto because of its versatility. I mean, obvs it makes a great appetizer. But, I have made an antipasti just for lunch. The protein keeps me satiated for the rest of the day. There’s actually enough protein for me to power through a good workout. And, as I said, there are just so many other nutrients in it to make it a really well-balanced meal.
So, with that in mind, I started contemplating how to up the antipasti game to make it a complete dinner entree. And the immediate thing I turned to was farro. I only discovered farro about two years ago! I was trying to get away from all the typical processed grains (white rice, pastas, etc.) when I stumbled across a recipe for a farro salad. I’ve since totally recreated that recipe, upped its game, made it healthier, easier to throw together, and simply much tastier (you can check out that recipe here)!
After having farro for the first time, I was floored… where have I been living?? Under a rock? Farro is so versatile. Arguably, the bite of farro is almost like orzo… a smaller, firm, yet chewy morsel. The recipe I originally stumbled on has you cook the farro in a broth of water, carrots, onions, and some other veggies to give the farro “more flavor.” I have played with farro a lot over the past couple of years, and I can tell you, in my honest opinion, it doesn’t make a difference to the final flavor of the farro. I’ve cooked it as that recipe called for. I’ve tried it in just a simple chicken broth. I’ve done it in water. I think my go to is usually in a chicken broth for a light flavoring, but putting in any more effort just isn’t worth it.
So, farro + antipasto… yesss! And although there is protein from the typical antipasto meats, I opted tone down on the quantity of those meats and add chicken breast… low in the fats and cholesterol I mentioned above. You still get the flavor of some suppressants, prosciutto, and genoa salami without it being the main protein source.
I marinated the chicken in a Mediterranean inspired marinade of oregano, dill, thyme, and lemon with a hint of Dijon mustard. Like most of my other chicken breast recipes, I seared the chicken breast on the outside in a cast iron pan before popping it in the oven to finish cooking. This method always keeps the chicken breast moist (NOTE: I never use the “thin” chicken breast sold at grocery stores). Often times, after I cut up the chicken, there are a few pieces I have to throw back on the stove for a minute. These are usually the slices from the thickest part of the chicken breast. It only takes about 30 to 60 seconds per side to finish cooking those pieces… any longer and the chicken will be tough and dry.
To finish off the salad, I made an Italian-style vinaigrette. In an effort to reduce the calories from the olive oil, I tried a trick I recently read about… I swapped out half of the olive oil for chicken broth. And let me tell you, GAME CHANGER!! There are almost 120 calories PER tablespoon of olive oil! Versus LESS THAN 2 calories per tablespoon of chicken broth!! So, by swapping out half of the olive oil, we go from just under 120 calories per serving to about 60 calories per serving. And you do not miss those 2 tablespoons of olive oil!
This whole meal was mind-blowing for me! With my love for antipasto + my love for farro, this dinner was incredible with the moist cuts of chicken and everything tossed together with the salad dressing. I could eat this every night and be so satistified!
If you haven’t tried farro yet but love antipasto, this is the best recipe to try out farro for the first time! If you love farro as much as I do, you must try this recipe and let me know what you think!
Added bonus? The farro takes about half an hour to cook. While it’s cooking, prep the salad. Halfway through its cook time, get the chicken going. That way, all of the prep can be done during the cook time and you’ll have dinner on the table in half an hour!
I cannot wait to make this dinner again. I’m drooling just writing this. Take a pic and tag me on Instagram!
Enjoy!
Italian Antipasto Chicken Farro Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Italian, salad
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
Chicken
1 lb chicken breast
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBs fresh oregano, chopped
2 TBs fresh dill, minced
1 TB fresh thyme leaves
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp paprika
zest & juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 TB olive oil
Antipasto Salad
3 oz mix of soppressata, prosciutto, & genoa salami ~ roughly chopped
½ cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
½ cup provolone, cut into small matchsticks
7 oz fresh mozzarella “cherry-sized” balls, drained
1 head butter lettuce, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, cut in half and sliced
10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, sliced and cut into thirds
4 pepperoncinis minced, plus more whole
1 cup uncooked farro
Salad Dressing
¼ cup red vinegar
2 TBs olive oil
2 TBs chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 TB fresh oregano, chopped
½ TB Dijon mustard
salt & pepper
Instructions
Make the Farro
Cook 1 cup farro according to the package ~ usually about 30 to 35 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Make the Chicken
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic cloves, oregano, dill, thyme, Dijon mustard, paprika, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast into a ziplock container and pour over the marinade. Let marinade for at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook four minutes on one side. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. Place in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Remove and place the chicken on a cutting board. Roughly cut, returning any uncooked pieces back to the cast iron pan. Cook for 1 minute per side over medium heat. Remove and set aside.
Make the Antipasto Salad & Dressing
Meanwhile, make the salad. In a large bowl, toss together the soppressata, prosciutto, genoa salami, roasted red peppers, provolone, mozzarella, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and pepperoncini.
In a small bowl, whisk together the red vinegar, olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, oregano, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss.
When the farro and chicken are done, plate the farro and salad and top with the chicken. Toss together and eat! Enjoy!
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