CHICKEN AND BARLEY SALAD
This wholesome chicken and barley salad is a little different from your usual chicken salad, but very tasty all the same!
Pearl barley is chewy, nutty and full of nutrients – it makes a nice change from the usual rice or quinoa.
The peanut dressing adds some extra pizzazz and really brings the whole meal together. Perfect for both lunch and dinner!
CHICKEN AND BARLEY SALAD
This wholesome chicken and barley salad is a little different, but very tasty. The pearl barley is chewy, nutty and full of nutrients, while the peanut dressing add some extra pizzazz!
Ingredients
DRESSING
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (60ml)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (60ml)
- 3 Tbsp peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
CHICKEN
- 600 g chicken tenderloins (1lb 5oz)
BARLEY
- 2 1/4 cups water (560ml)
- 2 tsp chicken stock powder
- 3/4 cup pearl barley (150g)
SALAD
- 1/4 small red cabbage
- 2 spring onions
- 1 apple
- 1 carrot
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 100 g salad greens (3.5oz)
- 1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews (70g)
Instructions
MAKE DRESSING
Combine all dressing ingredients in a large jar and shake until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
MARINATE CHICKEN
Place chicken in a shallow dish and season with a little salt and pepper. Pour approximately half of the dressing over the chicken and leave to marinate. Reserve rest of dressing for salad.
COOK BARLEY
Bring water to the boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir in stock powder and barley, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 40 minutes, until barley is tender.
MAKE SALAD
Meanwhile, shred cabbage and finely slice spring onions. Core and thinly slice apple. Peel carrot and cut into matchsticks.
TOAST SESAME SEEDS & COOK CHICKEN
Heat a large frying pan on medium-high. Add sesame seeds and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until toasted. Remove from pan and set aside. Add chicken to pan and cook for approximately 4 minutes each side, until browned and cooked through. Remove onto a board, cover with foil and leave to rest.
SERVE
Drain barley well. Divide salad greens between serving plates or bowls and top with cabbage, spring onions, apple and carrot. Spoon barley over the top. Add chicken, then drizzle with reserved dressing. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and cashews.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: An off-dry Riesling.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Choose gluten-free soy sauce and stock powder. Replace barley with rice or quinoa (cook according to instructions on pack - you can still use gluten-free chicken stock powder for extra flavour).
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: If you don’t want to use pearl barley, use rice or quinoa instead (see notes above).
STORING AND REHEATING: Store individual portions in containers in the fridge and eat as a cold salad. Alternatively, store the chicken and barley separately and reheat in the microwave before adding to the salad. For maximum freshness, dressing, cashews and sesame seeds can be added just before serving.
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2 Comments
This was delicious! I had pre-cooked the barley on the weekend, to make this faster to prepare as a weeknight meal, and forgot all about it but we didn’t miss it at all, this recipe is plenty filling without it. The dressing is VERY good, I will definitely be making that again for all sorts of things! The sesame and cashews add lovely nutty, toasty flavours and go exceptionally well with the peanut dressing. Very yummy!
Hi Jaime, so pleased to hear this recipe worked well for you! Hope you find another use for the barley and enjoy the dressing on some other meals 🙂 You might enjoy these recipes too: https://www.yourultimatemenu.com/thai-chicken-salad/ and https://www.yourultimatemenu.com/peanut-chicken-tacos/, they have similar dressings. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! ~ Josie