Leadership / Medical Lunch Recipe

Tenderize and prepare

Pat the 4 chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If breasts are unevenly thick, place each between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to ensure even cooking.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tbs lemon zest, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.

Marinate

Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours (longer will make chicken more zesty; avoid over-marinating more than 8 hours because of the lemon).

Preheat grill or pan

When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high (about 375–425°F / 190–220°C) or heat a heavy skillet/grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates or pan.

Grill

Remove chicken from marinade and let excess drip off. Grill chicken 4–6 minutes per side, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear. Cooking time depends on thickness—use an instant-read thermometer at the thickest point.

Rest

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Rest 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Slice on the bias for plating and finish with a drizzle of 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and a lemon wedge.

Cook farro

Rinse 1.5 cups farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan bring 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Add farro, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook according to package (pearled farro about 15–20 minutes; semi-pearled 20–30 minutes) until tender but chewy. Drain any excess and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.

Prepare vegetables

While farro cooks, halve 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, dice 1 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely dice 1/4 cup red onion, and halve 1/2 cup Kalamata olives. Chop 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley.

Make dressing

In a small bowl whisk together 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs red wine vinegar, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper until emulsified.

Assemble salad

To the warm (or cooled) farro add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives and chopped parsley. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup crumbled feta. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice if needed. Chill 15–30 minutes or serve at room temperature.

Heat and sauté

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves and sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Wilt spinach

Add 8 cups baby spinach in batches, stirring and allowing each batch to wilt before adding more. Cook 2–3 minutes until all spinach is wilted but still bright green.

Finish

Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, squeeze 1 tbs fresh lemon juice over the spinach, toss briefly and transfer to a serving dish.

Arrange sliced grilled lemon-herb chicken on a platter. Serve the Mediterranean farro salad alongside and the sautéed spinach in a separate bowl. Garnish with additional crumbled feta if desired and lemon wedges for squeezing. Offer extra olive oil on the side.

Timing tip: Start by marinating the chicken, then begin the farro so it can cool while you prepare vegetables. Sauté spinach just before serving and grill the chicken last so it rests while you plate. This menu serves well hot or at room temperature for a leadership/medical lunch meeting.