Do you have any herbs or veggies that you grow at home? I love growing fresh herbs and tomatoes every summer. I really love that I can walk outside my kitchen door and pick fresh herbs any time I need them. It is fun creating new recipes with all my herbs and now that my tomatoes are starting to ripen. They are great in salads and have made tasty Salsas. I have also used them to make my homemade Bruschetta to top off fresh slices of bread.
After returning from vacation, I have been staring at a bowl of the sweetest red & yellow tomatoes I brought home. I knew I would have to use them up very soon. With the heat we have had, my basil is also growing like a champ. The more I use the basil, the more it grows! I love the combination of tomatoes and basil; they pair so well together. Looking at the tomatoes, I thought it was best to cook with them. I decided to roast them in the oven with some olive oil, fresh garlic and S&P. Boy, my kitchen smelled amazing while they were roasting in the oven. My kids kept yelling down from upstairs to ask what I was making! I turned these little beauties into a delicious, Roasted Tomato Sauce. The sauce was a perfect garnish to this dish. It had a hint of sweetness from all the fresh tomatoes which worked well with the Farro. The Farro was filled with so many fresh veggies. If you haven’t tried Farro yet, you really should. It has a somewhat nutty, earthiness and satisfying chew. Once cooked it is slightly soft but still has a slight crunch to it. You can transform the flavor of Farro by adding other ingredients, such as the fresh sautéed veggies. Farro is quite versatile too as you can transform it into a Risotto or add it to salads and soups.
This recipe was not only healthy but it was simple to make and a great use of fresh veggies & herbs.
Veggie Farro Bowl w/Chicken & Roasted Tomato Sauce
Makes approx. 4 Servings
Ingredients
Chicken:
4 Chicken Breasts, Boneless & Skinless
1/2 Bottle, Rosemary Balsamic Marinade *Store-bought
4 Cloves, Fresh Garlic, peeled and sliced
S&P
1 Tablespoon, Olive Oil
1 Tablespoons, Butter
Veggies:
10 Mushrooms, cleaned & sliced *used Baby Bella (a.k.a. Cremini)
1, White Onion, chopped
2 Cloves, Fresh Garlic, minced
1 Shallot, minced
1 Head, Broccoli
1 Cubanelle Pepper, seeded & chopped
1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded & chopped
1 ear, Corn on Cob, cut off cob (uncooked)
2 Scallions, green & white parts, chopped
1 Tablespoon, Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon, Butter
1 Teaspoon, Garlic Salt
4 Tablespoons, Chicken Broth
Farro:
1 Cup, Farro
2 Cups, Chicken Broth
S&P
Roasted Tomato Sauce:
2 Cups, Small Cherry Tomatoes
S&P
Drizzle, Olive Oil
2 Cloves, Fresh Garlic, peeled & slightly smashed
Handfull, Fresh Basil Leaves, about 6 leaves
Drizzle, Balsamic Glaze
Garnishes:
- Few Basil Leaves
- Roasted Tomato Sauce
Instructions
Marinade the chicken: place the chicken into an airtight bag or in a baking dish. Pour your marinade over the chicken along with the garlic and S&P. Let it sit for at least an hour or so. You can marinate longer if you like.
Make Farro: Cook Farro according to package. I like to use Chicken Broth in place of the water. Once the Farro is done cooking you can season with S&P.
Prep Veggies:
- Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel or paper towel then slice them.
- Chop the onion.
- Peel and finely chop the shallot
- peel and finely chop garlic (or run the garlic through a garlic press to mince it).
- Cut the broccoli into smaller, bite size pieces.
- Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut into smaller pieces.
- Cut the corn off of the cob
- Cut the scallions.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter melts, add all the veggies. Sauté for about 5 minutes and once the mushrooms start to brown season with S&P and garlic salt. Add the chicken broth and continue cooking just until the veggies start to soften. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Combine the Farro & Veggies: once the Farro is cooked through add all the veggies to it and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Make Roasted Tomato Sauce: Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes and garlic onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with S&P. Toss around to evenly coat all the tomatoes. Roast in the oven for approx. 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the basil leaves and balsamic glaze. Puree and season with S&P to taste. Run the sauce through a strainer then place into a small skillet. Place on the stove over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Whisk just until it is heated through to melt the butter. If you make this in advance just heat up on low heat before serving. **I also had 1 larger tomato that I cut up and roasted along with the smaller tomatoes.
Roasting Tomatoes & Garlic
Cook the Chicken: Heat a large cast iron skillet on the stove, over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is nice and golden brown. Turn chicken over, turn heat to medium and continue cooking, about another 5-8 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. Cooking time will vary depending on how big your chicken is. Remove chicken from the pan, let it rest on board for a few minutes.
Plating: Place a serving of the Farro salad into bowls (you can push off to one side), add a piece of chicken then garnish with some fresh basil and a drizzle of the Roasted Tomato Sauce.
Mangia! Enjoy!