People add apples, pomegranate, raisins, strawberries etc. to salads…but what about citrus?!?! Especially during citrus season!? I think some people steer clear of fruit in salads because the sweetness may feel out of place. But, I can promise you this recipe has that perfect “fruit in salad but keeping it savory” balance. And on top of that, it’s a delicious dinner, lunch or shareable appetizer. Not to mention, you can 100% meal prep this recipe and multiply the serving size if you love it! Subscribe to my substack if you want the meal prep instructions and how I recommend spacing it out!

By the way, if you’re dairy-free you can skip the feta. If you’re nut-free, skip the pistachios! This has SO much flavor on its own. I could actually drink the dressing.
Winter Citrus Grain Bowl with Smoky Paprika Chicken

Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Generous pinch of Kosher salt enough for both sides of the chicken
- Black pepper to taste
- Avocado oil for drizzling before baking
- 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter
For the Grain Bowl:
- 3 cups cooked farro start with 1 1/2 cup dry farro or follow package instructions
- 1 bouillon cube chicken or vegetable or 2 cups chicken stock for cooking the farro
- 1 bunch tuscan kale about 3-4 cups finely chopped and massaged
- 1 tbsp olive oil for massaging the kale
- Pinch of salt
- 1 orange or blood orange peeled and segmented
- 1 grapefruit peeled and segmented
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 1/4 cup toasted almonds or pistachios
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the Orange-Lime Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice or juice from 1 orange
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 2 tsp minced shallot reserved from other minced shallot
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
For the chicken:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). If you have a convection setting use this!
- Season the chicken breasts with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside and let them dry brine while prepping the rest of your produce for the salad. Once everything’s prepped, you can start to cook! (See meal prep instructions below for more info.)
- Drizzle the chicken breasts with avocado oil. Top each with a tbsp of cold unsalted butter (this helps with some browning when baking.) Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
For the farro:
- Rinse the dry farro under cold water.
- In a medium saucepan or shallow pot, combine farro with water (measure according to package instructions) or chicken stock (add a bouillon cube if using water). If the stock or bouillon has no salt, add a generous pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook according to package instructions until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Drain any excess liquid, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
- Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 1–2 minutes until it softens and darkens in color.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, honey and shallot. Stream in olive oil while whisking then season with salt, and pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
For the bowl:
- Combine the farro and kale. Add 2/3 of the citrus, reserving the rest for topping. Mix in minced shallot, toasted pistachios, and crumbled feta cheese. Mix in half of the vinaigrette and taste to make sure everything is seasoned properly.
- Slice the baked chicken and arrange on top. Arrange sliced avocado on top on the other side of the bowl. Top with the rest of the citrus.
- Drizzle with more vinaigrette to taste just before serving. If you have extra feta and pistachios you can garnish with those too.
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