I’m excited to be partnering with Miele today to bring you this delicious farro, lentil and lemon pepper chicken nourishing bowls with a fresh basil vinaigrette. They’re vibrant, flavour and texture-packed bowls full of fresh veg, protein, and a delicious zesty basil vinaigrette drizzled over the top.
So yum! I would happily eat these for lunch every day of the week, they're that good. Healthy hearty bowls, perfect for lunch or dinner. It's also a great recipe to meal prep as each element can be prepared and kept in airtight containers in the fridge for a few days.
This recipe is made super easy using my Miele combi steam oven. The combi-steam function makes the cooking of the chicken, corn, and grains super quick, and efficient, and ensures the best cooking results. What I love about my Miele oven is that while the chicken is steaming its juices drop to the tray of farro and lentils below giving the grains an added extra coating of flavour and texture. If you don’t have a steam oven you can also use a conventional oven as I have included methods for both options below.
I love to use farro in these bowls as it adds a chewy texture and nutty flavour that mixes perfectly with the other salad elements. If you can’t get hold of farro you could also use pearled barley or even brown rice.
The basil vinaigrette will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. I usually make a double batch to have on hand for lunches throughout the week. It has a delicious zingy flavour that tastes amazing over any salad. I also love it drizzled over scrambled or fried eggs.
As always, please let me know if you make the recipe @gatherandfeast, and feel free to ask any questions. Enjoy!
Ingredients
20 minutes preparation time + 30 minutes cooking time 
4 Nourishing bowls
- 200 g (1 cup) dried whole farro, rinsed well and drained
- 50 g (1⁄4 cup) dried black beluga or du puy lentils, rinsed and drained
- 375 ml (1 1⁄2 cups) water
- 1⁄2 tsp salt flakes
- 2 chicken breasts (approximately 250 g each)
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
- 60 ml (1⁄4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt flakes
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 corn cobs, husks removed
Basil vinaigrette
- 1 large bunch basil (approximately 3 large handfuls)
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml (1⁄4 cup) red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1⁄2 tsp salt flakes
To serve
- 2 handfuls of fresh rocket
- 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 large handful sugar snap peas or snow peas, thinly sliced
- 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 100 g Greek feta, roughly crumbled
Method
Nourishing bowls
STEAM OVEN
- Place the farro, lentils, water and salt into a small unperforated steam container and stir, ensuring the grains are evenly covered by the water.
- Place into a steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 20 minutes.
- While the farro and lentils are cooking, add the chicken breasts, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl and coat the chicken evenly in the mixture.
- Preheat a large frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the marinated chicken and the corn and sear the chicken on each side, about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Turn the corn as you turn the chicken.
- Remove the chicken and corn and place into a perforated steam container.
- Once the farro and lentils have cooked for 20 minutes, add the chicken and corn to the steam oven above the tray of farro and lentils and steam at 85°C for a further 8 minutes.
CONVENTIONAL OVEN AND STOVETOP
- Place the farro, lentils, water, and salt into a small saucepan and stir.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer with the lid on for 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a further 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff with a fork, then set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced oven).
- While the farro and lentils are cooking, add the chicken breasts, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl and coat the chicken evenly in the mixture.
- Preheat a large oven-proof frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the marinated chicken and the corn and sear the chicken on each side, about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Turn the corn as you turn the chicken.
- Place the frying pan with the seared chicken and corn into the oven and bake at 180°C/350°F for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Basil vinaigrette
- Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use.
To serve
- Divide the farro and lentil mixture into 4 bowls.
- Add the fresh rocket, thinly sliced cabbage, sliced snow peas, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and feta.
- Now add some sliced chicken and corn.
- Drizzle with the basil vinaigrette and sprinkle with some pepper and salt flakes.
HINTS & TIPS
- The basil vinaigrette will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- The elements of the bowls can be prepared and kept in airtight containers in the fridge for easy meal prep or a pre-prepped lunch or dinner.
- The steam cooking in this recipe retains vitamins in this nutrient-packed meal.
