Chicken Barley Soup
Roasting the chicken with lots of seasoning helps intensify the flavor of this soup. Add it in during the last 20-30 minutes of simmering to keep it from overcooking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion 1 medium onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot 2-3 carrots
- ½ - 1 cup chopped celery 2-3 celery stalks
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 32 oz. boxes of chicken broth Swanson is a good choice
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. dried thyme plus a small bundle of fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 lb. chopped cooked chicken
- ½ cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
Instructions
- Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil in a soup pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or till softened.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds more.
- Stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add the fresh thyme bundle (if using), and simmer partially covered for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and barley and continue to simmer till the barley is tender (about 10-15 minutes more).
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- The cooked chicken can be store bought but roasting it at home allows you to control the flavor and overall quality. See our post for instructions on roasting the chicken (super easy).
- If you plan to let the soup simmer on the stove for an hour or two, you should reduce the amount of time you sauté the vegetables, so you don’t overcook them. I’ll usually sauté them for a few minutes, then add the garlic and stir that in for 20-30 seconds, then add the broth, etc. I also cut my carrots and celery into larger chunks, so they tolerate being cooked for longer (you don’t want them mushy).
- You can probably buy precut vegetables at your grocery store to save time, but it will only take 5-10 minutes to wash and cut them yourself. Minced garlic from a jar can also be used, but freshly minced is more flavorful.
- You can always add more chicken broth if you need it. We usually have leftovers, and sometimes I’ll add more the second day if the barley has absorbed some of it, or if I added a lot of chicken and vegetables and just want to balance it out with more broth (it’s not unusual for me to go over the amounts listed here, which are guidelines, not rules!).
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Barley Soup
Amount per Serving
Calories
173
% Daily Value*
Fat
6
g
9
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
41
mg
14
%
Sodium
990
mg
43
%
Potassium
404
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
15
g
5
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
15
g
30
%
Vitamin A
2755
IU
55
%
Vitamin C
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
33
mg
3
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.