This hearty, protein-packed wheat berry chicken salad is full of spring flavors including asparagus, artichokes and creamy goat cheese.
Wheat berries make me happy. No really, they do. So happy that they are the reason I started this blog four years ago next month! Fast forward to today I’m still here creating delicious wheat berry recipes. (Old habits die hard?)
If you’ve never tried wheat berries, I urge you to swap them out for the usual rice, oats or pasta in your next meal. Chewier than brown rice and more flavorful than quinoa, I love the added texture they bring to any dish.
Why are wheat berries good for you?
Excellent Source of Fiber: Just one serving has 6 grams of fiber which helps slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels.
Protein-Packed: Unlike refined carbs such as white rice, pasta, or bread, wheat berries contain 6 grams of protein per serving. Protein + fiber = feel fuller longer.
Antioxidant-Rich: The consumption of wheat berries can reduce your risks of developing certain types of cancer thanks to the plant estrogens (phytoestrogens.)
When I created this salad, we had leftover grilled asparagus on hand but feel free to use any fresh or grilled vegetables you need to use up. This salad is extremely versatile and tastes best when made with the freshest produce you can find.
Your fork is waiting.
Chicken and Wheat Berry Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cooked chicken breast (cubed)
- ¾ cup uncooked wheat berries (prepared according to package instructions)
- 2 celery stalks (minced)
- 1 cup grilled asparagus (diced)
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup red onion (minced)
- 4 in artichoke hearts water (drained and roughly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce crumbled goat cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place cooked wheat berries in a medium bowl and add chicken, celery, asparagus, tomatoes, red onion and artichoke hearts. Toss to combine.
- Add lemon juice, olive oil, goat cheese and toss again until goat cheese starts to emulsify into the dressing.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Bob’s Red Mill has compensated me for my time to develop this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to create quality content. As always, all thoughts are 100% my own.
I made this tonight and it was fantastic! I’ve cooked with wheat berries before, but this one really blew me away (especially with how easy it is). I didn’t have artichokes, and even without them, it was great.
I took a couple shortcuts – I cooked the wheat berries in a rice cooker (and added lemon juice to the water, which really infused the flavor). Then, I just mixed the olive oil and goat cheese with the wheat berries (when they were warm) before mixing in the other ingredients. The texture was probably a bit different than if you emulsify as a dressing, but it didn’t affect the taste!
Love your short cuts! So glad you liked this!
Just came across this on pinterest… will definitely be making this week! Thank you for sharing!
I hope you enjoy it Michelle!!
I love this! I’m a big fan of farro with its chewy texture and better-for-you nutrition but I’ve never tried wheat berries! This seems like an easy dish to throw together and without the chicken it would be a great side dish for just about anything! Yummy!
Yes I love farro – wheat berries are VERY similar!
This looks delicious! I might have to make this for lunch to pack during the week! How long do you think this would keep in the fridge?
Hi Salvina! This is perfect for brown bagging! If you’re using up leftover cooked chicken, I would try to eat it within 3 days. If you make the salad without chicken and add beans or fresh protein each day, it will last up to a week!
I made this the day after I commented- it was so yummy! Filling, healthy, perfect for lunch. I used scallions rather than red onion, since I forgot to buy it while shopping. Great recipe! I’ll definitely be adding it to my rotation.
Oh I’m so glad to hear it!! Thanks for reporting back!
I made this day before yesterday & LOVE it! It was the first time I’ve used wheat berries – and won’t be the last. I used a whole can of Trader Joe’s artichoke hearts (chopped) because I love them so much. Very filling and very good – thank you!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! I love adding extra artichokes too. :)
this winter (my first in N Colorado and the cold) I started eating cooked bulgur for breakfast…I LOVE it…so this has me thinking of using wheat berries in place of brown rice sometimes….thanks for the tip
Bulgur is my favorite of all time!!
Nice salad, Liz. Thank you and I’ll give it a try. Have never had wheat berries.
Have a great day Liz!!
You made a great case for wheat berry. It looks great and the calorie count is right in the pocket. Another biggie. I like to eat without feeling guilty. The problem is, I like to eat good and tasty. Sigh. So this kind of a recipe is a treat.
Let me know if you try them!!! You’ll become hooked!
This is the perfect summer lunch!
This salad looks so yummy, I just started using Wheatberries and am obsessed! And almost 4 years of blogging-wow, that’s SO exciting!!
Aww thank you so much! And I’m so glad you like wheat berries!! Aren’t they the bomb?!
I really need to do more cooking with wheat berries! This salad sounds amazing!
Make a big batch on Sunday and you’ll be surprised how easy they are to eat all week!
What a beautiful, healthy salad! I love the artichokes in here. I always forget how much I love them & need to use them more. Thanks for the reminder. Happy Friday Friend. :)
You and me both!!! I love them too.
I love all of the bright colors aka vitamins going on in this bowl. What a perfect summer time supper! Pinned.
Yes!!!! I love eating the rainbow. :)
Goat cheese is slowly growing on me and I’m totally loving everything else about this salad. Perfect for spring!
Oh my goodness… I am mildly obsessed with goat cheese but it works really well in this recipe because it almost emulsifies right into the dressing. Thanks friend!
I LOVE wheat berries, and I always forget about them! I love how chewy they are, and I can imagine they’re just perfect in this salad. So many awesome ingredients and flavors!
I go in waves!! I love them too but then I’ll forget about them for awhile and come back to them again. :) Thank you so much!
I bet those wheat berries add an awesome crunch to the salad. It looks amazing!
They really do!! They are super chewy and tasty. :)
This looks crazy good! I love all the flavors and textures you’ve got going on here.
I am all about textures!! Thank you so much!!
Liz! You always always always make me hungry!!! It’s only 8 am but I’m already dreaming of this for lunch. You little devil ;)
Hahaha sorry about that! Guilty as charged! ;-)
What a genius way to use wheatberries. I love chicken salad!
You and me both friend!! I could eat some form of chicken salad every day. :) xo
This looks delicious! I love wheat berries, I’ll have to try this preparation sometime soon. So many vibrant flavors! :)
Let me know what you think! It’s extremely versatile!! :)