Australian🥩 Meat

Grilled Chicken with Pearl Barley Salad

Name: Grilled Chicken with Pearl Barley Salad
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 2 chicken breast; ~1½ tsp salt; ~1 tsp smoked paprika; ~½ tsp cumin; ~½ tsp coriander powder; ~½ tsp sumac; 1 cup pearl barley; 3 cups water; ~3 tbsp olive oil; ~1 cucumber; ~4 spring onion; 2 lemon; ~¼ cups parsley

⏱ 60 min🍽 Serves 2

A simple and quick summer main course combining perfectly grilled chicken breast with a refreshing pearl barley salad. The chicken is seasoned with salt, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and sumac, then grilled to a juicy finish at around 62°C internally. The barley salad is dressed with fresh cucumber, spring onions, and bright lemon juice for a light, citrusy finish—ideal for weeknight dinners or meal prep.

High-protein

Adapted from a video by Back of House

A Great Summer Salad Recipe

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

chicken breast2
salt~1½ tspest.
smoked paprika~1 tspest.
cumin~½ tspest.
coriander powder~½ tspest.
sumac~½ tspest.
pearl barley1 cup

Steps

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1
Rinse the pearl barley under water to remove surface dust.
2
Combine the barley with just over 3 cups of water (roughly 3:1 ratio), season with salt, bring to a boil, then simmer for 35–40 minutes until tender with some bite remaining and most liquid has evaporated.
3
Once the barley is cooked, spread it on a plate to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to help it cool faster.
4
Mix together salt, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander powder, and sumac in a bowl.
5
Inspect the chicken breasts: if there is a tenderloin attached, remove and set aside. Place the breast flat on a cutting board and carefully slice it horizontally through the middle to create two pieces of more uniform thickness.
6
Generously apply the spice and salt mixture to both sides of the chicken pieces.
7
Heat a grill or grill plate to high heat (full heat on both hobs but not screaming hot). No additional oil is needed as the chicken already has oil on it.
8
Place the chicken on the hot grill. If it sticks, do not force it—let it continue cooking until it releases naturally. You can use a press to improve contact if desired. Cook about 80% on the first side until nicely coloured, then flip to finish on the other side.
9
Check the internal temperature at the thickest part with a meat thermometer, targeting around 62°C (or at least 60°C; the FDA recommends 70°C). Remove from the grill when the target temperature is reached.
10
Rest the cooked chicken on a plate for 5–6 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Since chicken breasts are thinner than steaks, less resting time is needed.
11
Dress the cooled barley with olive oil and gently stir to prevent the grains from sticking together (the barley is starchy). The salt was already added during cooking, so no additional seasoning is needed at this point.
12
Chop fresh cucumber and spring onions and add them to the barley. You can also add other seasonal vegetables such as bell pepper or baby spinach according to preference.
13
Dress the salad with the juice of 2 lemons to add brightness and acidity. Finish with fresh parsley or other fresh herbs like dill if desired.
14
Slice the rested chicken to the desired size and plate it alongside the pearl barley salad.

Grilled Chicken with Pearl Barley Salad

Ingredients

Steps

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