Pan-Seared Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce and Farro

Prepare the ingredients: Slice the 2 chicken breasts horizontally to create 4 thin, even cutlets. Season both sides of the cutlets with 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mince the 4 garlic cloves and 1 medium shallot. Halve the 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. Finely chop the 1/4 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley. Zest the whole lemon to yield 1 tsp of zest, then juice it to obtain 2 tbsp of fresh juice. Drain the 2 tbsp of capers.

Cook the farro: Rinse the 1.5 cups of dry farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro, 1 cup of the chicken broth, 2 cups of water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the grains are tender but still offer a pleasant chew.

Fold in the vegetables: Once the farro is cooked, turn off the heat. Immediately stir in the 4 cups of fresh baby spinach and 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes. Cover the pot and let the residual heat wilt the spinach and soften the tomatoes for 3 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Sear the chicken: While the farro is simmering, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the seasoned chicken cutlets dry with a paper towel. Add them to the hot skillet and sear undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Flip and sear the second side for an additional 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil to rest.

Build the pan sauce: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp of unsalted butter to the pan. Add the minced shallot and garlic, sautéing for 1 to 2 minutes while scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the skillet. Pour in the 1/4 cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring constantly until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Finish the sauce: Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 2 tbsp of drained capers, and 2 tbsp of lemon juice to the skillet. Simmer for 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the skillet from the heat source. Whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp of cold unsalted butter, 1 tsp of lemon zest, and half of the chopped parsley until the butter melts completely and emulsifies into a glossy, smooth sauce.

Portion and store the extra farro: Measure out exactly 2 cups of the cooked farro, spinach, and tomato mixture. Place it into an airtight container, let it cool completely, and store it in the refrigerator for Day 3's stuffed peppers recipe.

Assemble and serve: Divide the remaining 2.5 cups of warm farro mixture between two serving plates. Slice the rested chicken cutlets and arrange them over the farro. Spoon the warm lemon-caper pan sauce generously over the chicken and grains. Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and serve immediately.