Mexican Chicken & Lime Sour Cream with Esquites-Style Farro Salad

Step 1

1 Cook the farro Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the farro. Cook, uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Step 2

2 Prepare the ingredients Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Using a zester or the small side of a box grater, zest the lime to get 2 teaspoons. Quarter the lime. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove the cores, then large dice. Remove any husks and silks from the corn; cut the kernels off the cobs. Combine the diced peppers and corn kernels in a bowl; add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream and the juice of 2 lime wedges; season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

3 Cook the vegetables In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pepper-corn mixture and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned (be careful, as the corn may pop as it cooks); season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add 2 tablespoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the water has cooked off. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Step 4

4 Cook the chicken Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Transfer to a cutting board.*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 165°F for chicken.

Step 5

5 Finish the farro & serve your dish To the pot of cooked farro, add the cooked vegetables, mayonnaise, lime zest, and the juice of the remaining lime wedges; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the finished farro topped with the sliced chicken and lime sour cream. Garnish with the cheese and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!