The grain salad with chicken and vegetables is a unique dish full of flavor, fresh, light, and easy to prepare. It is a variation of the classic rice salad made with a mix of grains,roasted chicken, and a variety of summer vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes, and carrots. Simple, colorful, and full of goodness!
The recipe is very simple: we cook the grains, grill the chicken breast, and boil or sauté the carrots and zucchini. We combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl, also adding diced tomatoes, olives, onions, pickled vegetables, basil, and oil for dressing.
A unique and healthy dish where you’ll find the fibers of the grains, the proteins from the white meat, and the vitamins from the vegetables. Plus, you can customize the ingredients as you wish, for example by using your favorite grains or other vegetables. The Grain Salad with Chicken and Vegetables is definitely a perfect summer idea, both for lunch and dinner, at home, at the office, or why not, even at the beach. Just gather all the ingredients to try it as soon as possible.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients to Prepare the Grain Salad with Chicken and Vegetables
- 10.5 oz grain mix (we used red rice, wheat, barley, and spelt)
- 10.5 oz chicken breast
- 2 carrots
- 2 zucchini
- 2 tomatoes
- 1.75 oz green olives
- 1.75 oz pickled vegetables
- 1.75 oz pickled onions
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- mint (or basil)
Tools to Prepare the Grain Salad with Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 Pots
- 1 Salad Bowl
- 2 Stovetops
Steps to Prepare the Grain Salad with Chicken and Vegetables
To prepare the grain salad with chicken and vegetables, first boil the grains: cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes or according to the instructions and times on the package. Drain them and let them cool slightly.
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing ingredients starting with the vegetables: trim the zucchini, scrape the carrots and dice both. Boil them or cook them in a pan with a little oil until they are tender. Also dice the tomatoes and remove the pits from the olives.
Heat a grill pan well and grill the chicken breast slices, cook them on both sides, then add the salt and let them cool slightly. Cut the chicken into strips.
At this point, all the ingredients are ready, we just need to assemble our grain salad: pour the grains into a large salad bowl. Add the vegetables, chicken, olives, pickled vegetables, and onions well-drained from their pickling vinegar.
Mix well and dress with oil and some chopped mint or basil leaves.
Simo and Cicci Recommend
Store the grain salad with chicken and vegetables in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended. To serve, take it out of the fridge at least 15 minutes in advance.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What grains are best for this salad?
You can use any grains you prefer besides those mentioned in the recipe, such as bulgur, millet, amaranth, quinoa, black rice, etc. You can also use just one grain of your choice and still get a delicious salad.
If I don’t have any grains at home but have pasta, can I use pasta instead of grains?
Of course, with this dressing you can use either your preferred pasta or rice.
For a vegetarian version, can I remove the chicken from the ingredient list?
Yes, you can choose not to use it.
I don’t like or have zucchini, carrots, and tomatoes at home. Can I use other vegetables?
The choice is vast; you can use peppers, eggplants, mushrooms, peas, sugar snap peas, sweet Italian green peppers, etc.
