KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dynamic duos of protein plus ancient grains are debuting across menus. Restaurants are unveiling new offerings featuring such pairings as chicken and quinoa and skirt steak and farro.  

Brio Tuscan Grille Marinated Skirt Steak features a marinated skirt steak on a bed of farro, haricot vert, grape tomatoes, and chickpeas topped with feta, Marcona almonds, dill and toasted spice vinaigrette.


Panera Bread is combining quinoa with pulled chicken in its new Southwest Chili Lime Ranch Salad. The dish features smoked, pulled chicken, romaine lettuce, arugula, adobo corn blend, quinoa tomato sofrito blend, cilantro and masa crisps tossed in chili lime rojo ranch topped with feta and avocado.

Offering the option of chicken or steak with quinoa, Zoës Kitchen is launching a new Quinoa Salad. It features quinoa, carrots, cabbage, green onion, red peppers, tomatoes, celery, feta and a lemon vinaigrette and may be eaten with the customer’s choice of chicken or steak.

California Pizza Kitchen is debuting two new bowls: one with chicken and quinoa and one with chicken and farro. The Banh Mi Bowl features a blend of quinoa, baby kale, grilled chicken, watermelon radishes, avocado, cucumbers, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, mint, sesame seeds, serrano peppers and chili-lime vinaigrette. The Santa Fe Bowl is a Southwestern-inspired blend of cilantro, farro, spinach, lime chicken, tomatoes, sweet corn, black beans, red cabbage, avocado, poblano peppers and toasted pepitas served with poblano ranch.

Bravo Cucina Italiana is also offering farro and chicken together with its new Grilled Balsamic Chicken. The dish features balsamic-glazed grilled chicken breast on a bed of orzo, farro, zucchini and roasted red peppers, topped with asparagus and feta.

Click to view a slideshow of new menu items.