Description
This hearty Chicken Barley Soup is a comforting and nutritious dish featuring tender chicken, wholesome pearl barley, and a medley of vegetables simmered in a flavorful reduced sodium chicken broth. Perfect for a cozy meal, it’s easy to prepare and packed with texture and taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1-1/2 lbs skinless bone-in chicken breast (yields about 14 oz cooked)
- 7 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2/3 cup dry pearl barley
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil followed by chopped carrots, onions, celery, and garlic. Stir the mixture until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and broth: Place the skinless bone-in chicken breasts into the pot. Pour in 7 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth. Add chopped parsley and 2 bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil to activate flavors.
- Simmer for tenderness: Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Let the soup simmer gently for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Shred chicken and return to pot: Remove the chicken from the soup and let it cool slightly. Discard the bones, shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and return the meat to the pot.
- Add barley and season: Stir in 2/3 cup dry pearl barley into the pot. Adjust salt if needed, and season with fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Cook barley: Allow the soup to simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender and cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. This recipe yields approximately 9 cups of soup, suitable for 6 servings.
Notes
- Using bone-in chicken breast adds more flavor to the broth, but skinless helps reduce fat content.
- Reduced sodium broth is recommended to control salt levels; adjust seasoning as needed.
- Pearl barley can be substituted with hulled barley but will require longer cooking time.
- For a thicker soup, cook the barley uncovered to allow some liquid to evaporate.
- Storing leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge will keep it fresh for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups (approximate)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
