What is Farro?

What is farro? Chances are you’ve heard of it but don’t really know what it is or how to use it in cooking. It’s a healthy whole grain which you should think about adding to your diet.

Farro, a high-protein, high-fiber ancient whole-grain wheat. It look a lot like to barley, but is more more oblong and a larger grain. This ancient grain has a nice chewy texture when cooked. Farro and barley can be used interchangeably in most recipes. Because farro is a wheat product it contains gluten.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Farro Bowl

Can a one-bowl meal really satisfy? This one will. It’s built on a base of nutty farro and tender sweet potato, which is then covered with chicken breast. Your taste buds will delight in the tangy, herbal chimichurri sauce over it all.
Farro is a great grain option because it contains a good amount of protein and fiber. You can also add any roasted vegetable — like broccoli or squash — to this meal to up the fiber content. Try this recipe from the My Fitness Pal app.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 cup semi-pearled farro
• 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
• 1 pound chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley, lightly packed
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Put 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the farro and sweet potato cubes and return to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low to simmer for 20 minutes.
2. The farro should be tender. Drain in a wire mesh strainer and let cool. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to a week.
3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment, then place the chicken on the pan. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and massage to coat, then sprinkle with the chili powder and rub to coat.
4. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 160ºF when inserted in the thickest part of the breast.
5. Cool on a rack until safe to handle. Shred into pieces and reserve.

For the Chimichurri Sauce (makes ½ cup)

1. Place the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process to mince finely, scraping down the sides to make a fine paste.
2. Add the crushed red pepper, red wine vinegar and remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Process until smooth.