This healthy summer farro recipe is a serious crowd-pleaser and the presentation is impressive. Nutty farro, juicy blueberries, perfectly sweet summer corn and spiced grilled chicken work together perfectly for a simple and vibrant dinner.
I’m entering my summer salad lifestyle, anyone else care to join? If you’re a new reader, this is sort of our speciality around here!
We love recipes that you bring to summer parties and potlucks on repeat. Recipes that you can’t wait to eat as leftovers the next day. Recipes that feature the best produce of the season in a simple and accessible way.
This healthy summer farro is no exception with a mix juicy blueberries, sweet corn, toasted almonds for crunch and also plenty of greens. The simple and flavor-packed spiced grilled chicken makes it a meal and the dressing pulls it all together.
Here’s everything you need to make it:
Ingredients
- chicken breast
- olive oil
- spices: granulated garlic, smoked paprika, kosher sea salt
- farro
- white wine vinegar
- dijon mustard
- pure maple syrup
- blueberries
- fresh corn on the cob
- baby arugula
- fresh mint
- sliced almonds
The Basic Formula for a Summer Salad
- Cook your grain of choice. For this recipe we’re using farro, which is my all-time favorite for a healthy summer salad. Buy the “quick-cook” type and it takes just 10 minutes on the stovetop. The flavor is nutty, the texture has a slight chew. It’s simply delightful!
- Make the dressing. If it’s not homemade, we don’t want it! You probably have everything you need in your pantry and fridge to make a fresh and flavorful dressing. It takes all of five minutes to shake it up in a jar or whisk it together in a bowl. The flavor is always worth the extra effort.
- Prep your protein. I like a simple grilled chicken here to compliment the big flavors of the salad, but you can go even easier if you choose a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, canned beans or smoked salmon.
- Garnishes and finishing touches. This is the styling trick that really takes a salad from average to special. A great presentation doesn’t take a lot of extra skill, but the first impression is often what gets people excited about a dish. Toasted almonds, torn mint and extra dressing go a long way here.
Grilling the Chicken & Alternatives
The grill is a quintessential summer cooking method for a reason. Standing over a hot stove is the last thing I want to do come dinner time in the middle of July. However, I get it if you don’t feel like turning on the grill for a few chicken breasts or if you aren’t the designated griller in your household.
Here are a few alternatives to grilling your chicken:
- use an indoor grill pan (this one lives on my stovetop)
- cook in a stainless steel skillet (my most-used piece of cookware)
- bake the chicken (425° F x 15-18 minutes or until cooked through)
- use a store-bought rotisserie chicken
- leave the chicken off altogether for a faster prep time! Enjoy it with any leftover cooked protein, or without for a lighter meal.
FAQs and Ingredient Substitutions
Try quinoa or brown rice in place of the farro. You could also leave out the grain altogether and make it an arugula salad.
Canned chickpeas (drained & rinsed) or pan-fried tofu.
Yes! Make the dressing (refrigerate). Cook the farro. Cut the corn off the cob. Grill and slice the chicken. Toast the almonds. Store everything in separate containers until ready to toss and serve.
This recipe was a reader favorite from the seasonal meal plans I created back in the fall of 2024. To be notified of future meal plan launches, be sure to sign up for my email list!
3 More Healthy Summer Salads:
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad (insanely good, super unique)
- Spring Harvest Farro Salad (bursting with strawberries and asparagus)
- Greek Orzo Salad (Mediterranean flavors!)
Blueberry Corn Farro with Grilled Chicken
This healthy summer farro is a serious crowd-pleaser and the presentation is impressive. Nutty farro, juicy blueberries, perfectly sweet summer corn and spiced grilled chicken work together perfectly for a simple and vibrant dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, Entreés
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free
Ingredients
- 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded evenly to 1/2″ thickness, fat trimmed
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 ears fresh corn, cut off cob (~1 cup)
- 2 big handfuls baby arugula
- 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds (see notes)
Instructions
- Place chicken on a large plate or in a shallow baking dish and rub all over with two tablespoons of the olive oil. Coat evenly (both sides) with the garlic, smoked paprika and salt. Let stand while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Cook farro per package directions.
- Meanwhile, add vinegar, remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, dijon mustard and maple syrup to a large jar. Shake well to combine. Season with salt to taste.
- Heat a grill or indoor grill pan over medium high heat and oil the grates (see notes for alternative options). Cook the chicken until the middle reaches 165° F on an instant read thermometer, about 6-8 minutes per side. Let rest for five minutes, then slice in ½” pieces.
- To a large bowl, add: cooked farro, blueberries, corn, arugula and mint, tossing to combine. Pour half the dressing over the top and toss until well coated. Add in the almonds just before serving. Plate salad and top with sliced chicken and additional dressing as desired. Garnish with a few extra torn mint leaves.
Notes
- The equipment section above includes affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and recommend.
- Farro: I prefer quick-cooking farro if available. It cooks in just 10 minutes!
- Toasting the almonds: this is not a totally necessary step but it’s simple and adds great flavor. Add the sliced almonds to a small (dry) skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan often to move them around for about 3-5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Watch closely, they burn fast!
- Cooking the chicken: if you don’t have access to a grill or grill pan, use your biggest cast iron or stainless steel skillet and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 412 calories
- Fat: 18 grams
- Carbohydrates: 41 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Protein: 24 grams
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
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