Barley salad with chicken and roasted corn

 

Now that we're FINALLY enjoying a few hours of sun here in Seattle, it feels like high time to break out the wading pool, make iced tea, and concoct simple and delicious salads for dinner. Enter this Martha Stewart gem (which we modified slightly). We love the chewy barley, shredded chicken and roasted corn and tomatoes on the bed of fresh spinach or arugula. Topped with olive oil and lime juice, it makes a fantastic summer supper. It's just substantial enough to make a meal, but we know we're eating light. Yay, light!

Rating: 1/2 assed (especially if you use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup barley

2 bunches scallions, sliced

2 cups frozen corn kernels

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup fresh, flat parsley leaves (optional, but yummy)

1 Tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 bag baby spinach or arugula

Cook barley according to package directions. Let cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place scallions, corn and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until vegetables are tender and turning the tiniest bit brown (15 to 20 minutes), stirring halfway through.

In a large bowl, combine barley, roasted vegetables, chicken, parsley, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and 1 Tablespoon lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. In medium bowl, toss spinach with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Serve barley mixture over spinach on individual plates.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Comments

[Chris]

This sounds delicious! I'll purchase the ingredients today or tomorrow. Thanks!

[kitchen table]

This is something so refreshing and cool. Love this one!

[Deb McDonnell]

This was a nice salad. I found that for my jaded old tastebuds, I needed to ramp up the flavor a bit. So I added cilantro and some chpotle chilli powder and I think I cut up some scallions. I was really good.

[Deb McDonnell]

errr...I meant to say IT was really good, not I was really good. ;)