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Barley and Chicken Bowls

These bowls not only taste amazing they are great for your gut health with pre/probiotics. My whole family loved these bowls even my picky two year old. The chicken is full of flavor and the Jerusalem artichokes help encourage the development of multiple good gut bacteria.
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Marinate Chicken 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4 servings
Calories 593 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup barley pearled

Pickled onions

  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 cup red onions thinly sliced

For the Vegetables, Toss

  • 8 oz carrots trimmed, peeled, halved lenghtwise
  • 8 oz jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) sliced
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
  • 8 oz broccolini trimmed

For the Dressing whisk,

  • 1 cup plain kefir
  • 2 Tbsp chives chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Beau Monde
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp dill dried
  • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • Black pepper to taste

For the chicken

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 tsp marjoram dried
  • 1/2 tsp thyme dried
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

For Barley

  • Cook according to package directions. I cook mine in my rice cooker.

For the Pickled Onions

  • Whisk together sugar, salt and vinegar until dissolved. Toss in onions; let pickle at least 15 minutes. Can be made a day ahead.

For the Vegetables

  • Toss carrots and Jerusalem artichokes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then spread into a single layer on a prepared baking sheet , roast until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Toss broccolini with remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then spread into a single layer on second prepared baking sheet; roast 10-12minutes.

For the Dressing

  • Whisk together all ingredients season with salt and pepper to taste and put in fridge to sit for at least 15 minutes. Can also be made ahead of time.

For the Chicken

  • Whisk all ingredients except chicken together until well blended. Add Chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. (Marinating any longer could cook the chicken due to the acidity of the marinade) Then cook the chicken with you method of choice. I always grill mine but you can stick it in the oven with the vegetables as well. Just make sure that it reaches 165 degrees with and instant read thermometer. If grilling this should take about 4 minutes per side depending on thickness. With the oven I would say around 20-30 minutes.

For the Bowls

  • Divide barley, chicken, vegetables, and pickled onions evenly among 4 bowls; serve with dressing.  I also added my favorite pickled kraut*

Notes

You can use parsley in place of cilantro if you prefer
My favorite Kraut is Pickled Planet i-boost Herbal Kraut