Autumn Harvest Salad
I’m kinda in love with this salad, because food that looks and tastes like this, brings me so much joy! Sweet and savory, hot and cool – my favorite kinds of food pairings! The warm roasted chicken and barley pairs beautifully with the crispy apple and tomato salad, with delicious accents from the feta, rocket, and crunchy toasted walnuts! And lets not forget the chickpeas, which bring an added creamy texture, and that extra punch of protein! This Autumn Harvest Salad is delicious, easy to make, and packed with protein and low GI ingredients, keeping you full and satisfied for a long time!
Notes
Organic / Pasture raised: There are a few preferences I have when it comes to buying organic ingredients, but at the end of the day, I want you to purchase what you have access to, and what makes sense. Here in America, I will often try to buy my veggies organic, and my meat organic/pasture raised, because unfortunately there are a lot of pesticides and herbicides used on the crops, and a lot of added hormones in the meat. Of course there are instances that I can’t find certain organic ingredients, or afford them (organic is so expensive) but where possible, I encourage you to follow this same rule. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with more restrictions, say Europe, you don’t have to worry about all these added chemicals (lucky you!).
Chicken – I LOVE a chicken thigh, it’s the juiciest part of the bird in my opinion! But feel free to use any cut that you can find/prefer. Alternatively, this salad will also pair beautifully with a good piece of red meat, if that’s something you prefer! If you’d like to keep this vegetarian, omit the chicken and double up on the chickpeas, it’ll be just as delicious!
Barley – again, this is something I would encourage to be organic, given the heavy chemicals used to grow crops here in the US. Alternatively, what I like to do is find the great international grocers here in NY (Turkish/Israeli etc), as they have delicious options with different textures – and I know there are less chemicals! Obviously these shops are not available everywhere, but see what you can find! There are also plenty organic options on Amazon, like the below for instance! If you’re not into barley, quinoa is a great gluten free alternative. I don’t eat a lot of gluten, but I find barley ok as the gluten levels are low!
Walnuts – this is honestly my favorite nut at the moment, but feel free to use what you have/maybe you have an alternative favorite? For instance, almonds or pine nuts would go beautifully in this salad as an alternative!
If this autumn harvest salad is the kind of food that really appeals to you, here are some similar recipes I think you’ll love!
What You’ll Need
Salad Ingredients
- 1.7lb organic deboned chicken thighs
- 4 x portions rocket (a good handful pp)
- 2 cups cooked organic barley
- 1.5 -2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1.5 cups finely chopped and cubed cucumber
- 1.5 cups finely chopped and cubed plum tomatoes
- 1 cup finely chopped and cubed red onion
- handful chopped parsley (optional)
- 1.5 – 2 cups 1/4″ cubed and chopped honeycrisp apples
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- handful chopped mint (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 freshly squeezed lemon
- 1/4 cup smooth tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Chicken Marinade (optional – salt, pepper and olive oil will do)
- 5/6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1 heaped tsp paprika
- 1 heaped tsp cumin
- salt and pepper
Autumn Harvest Salad
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Warm roasted chicken and barley, over a bed of fresh rocket, paired with chickpeas, apples, and mixed tomato salad. Topped with roasted walnuts and feta!
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1.7lb organic deboned chicken thighs
- 4 x portions rocket (a good handful pp)
- 2 cups cooked organic barley
- 1.5 –2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1.5 cups finely chopped and cubed cucumber
- 1.5 cups finely chopped and cubed plum tomatoes
- 1 cup finely chopped and cubed red onion
- handful chopped parsley (optional)
- 1.5 – 2 cups 1/4″ cubed and chopped honeycrisp apples
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- handful chopped mint (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 freshly squeezed lemon
- 1/4 cup smooth tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Chicken Marinade (optional – salt, pepper and olive oil will do)
- 5/6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 1 heaped tsp paprika
- 1 heaped tsp cumin
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Rinse your barley and get it onto the boil following packet instructions, and set your oven to 365 deg F.
- While the barley cooks, prepare your chicken by marinating the thighs in a large bowl – thyme, onion powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, and dash of olive oil.
- In a large ovenproof skillet, toast your walnuts for 3-4 mins on a high heat, tossing regularly. Once browned and smelling good, remove the walnuts into a bowl, and return the pan to the heat. Add a generous dash of olive oil and fry your chicken thighs for 7-8 mins (the pan must be hot), flipping once golden brown, then turning off the heat. Using oven gloves, carefully cover the hot pan with aluminum and place it in the oven to continue cooking for 6-7 mins. Once cooked, remove from the oven, and set aside.
- While the chicken cooks in step 3, chop and prepare the rest of your ingredients. I like to combine the chopped tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and parsley in a bowl, and mix with a dash of olive oil and salt/pepper.
- Finally, mix all your dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, making sure it’s a smooth, runny consistency.
- When you are ready to serve, place your rocket into 4 shallow bowls, following with the remaining portioned out ingredients. Top with the dressing and optional chopped mint, and a final dash of salt and pepper to taste! Enjoy!
Notes
See noted in thread!
- Category: Lunch/Dinner
- Method: Stovetop / Oven
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