Pearl Barley, Spiced Chicken & Roasted Beets Salad

(serves 2)

Have been trying to get back to some scrumptious salad recipes to stay on track with the healthy summer theme... great for these humid days! This is a colourful looking salad that i put together quickly because i had pre-roasted the beetroot, but otherwise it's still worth the effort if you're make it en masse (or have some time on your hands)!

Prep time: 30 min

Cooking time: 50 min

Ingredients:

2 beetroots

700 g chicken breast

1 zucchini

1 leek

1 carrot

1 cup pearl barley

2 cups chicken stock

½ lime

Marinade

1 clove garlic

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

olive oil

salt and pepper

Method:
1. Boil the beetroot for 20min. 
2. Preheat the oven at 180˚C. 
3. Peel, cut into bite-size pieces and dress with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 40min.

4. Cut the chicken into thin strips and marinate in garlic, paprika, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and olive oil.
5. Cut the zucchini, leek and carrot into thin slices.
6. Cook the pearl barley and carrots in the chicken stock and water for 20min, or until the water is all absorbed.
NB. The carrot actually has a slight caramelising effect with the barley!

7. Heat a pan on medium heat, add 1 T oil then add zucchini and leek and cook for 2-3min.
8. Decrease the heat of the pan and add in the chicken and cook for 4-5min until cooked through.
NB. So handy tip that i learnt from my boy to keep chicken breast tender and juicy: the key is  cook on low heat and just be patient. Sounds trivial but actually kinda revolutionary for me as i grew up with the typical Chinese belief that you only get thigh because breast gets too dry and stringy...

9. Toss the chicken, zucchini, beetroot and leek with the pearl barley and serve with a squeeze of lime.

On the rare occasion i have pretty roses in the house, Yay for V-day! :)