I’m running out of time to do stodgy winter warmers (hopefully I am, anyway – are you coming spring? Well, are you?) Here’s a delicious chicken and barley soup that won’t fail to warm the cockles of your hearties. I simply adore barley and when I make this I usually add more than the recipe calls for (along with zucchini, of course… you could throw a couple of those in here too if you like). This recipe was an award winner for a reader over at Australian Women’s Weekly and you’ll soon taste why.
Hearty chicken and barley soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup barley
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
1 small sweet potato, chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 medium swede, chopped (leave out if you can’t get it, or substitute zucchini…)
8 cups salt-reduced chicken stock (like most things, it tastes better with the non-salt reduced version…)
4 cups water
4 chicken thigh fillets, chopped finely
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
1 small sweet potato, chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 medium swede, chopped (leave out if you can’t get it, or substitute zucchini…)
8 cups salt-reduced chicken stock (like most things, it tastes better with the non-salt reduced version…)
4 cups water
4 chicken thigh fillets, chopped finely
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
Place the barley in a large bowl. Cover with cold water, stand for 4 hours or overnight.
Heat oil in a large stockpot; cook onion, leek, celery and carrot, stirring, until softened. Add remaining vegetables, stock and water then bring to the boil. Add chicken and drained barley, simmer, loosely covered, about 1½ hours or until thickened.
Just before serving, season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.
Suitable to freeze.
Enjoy!
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Cassiopeia says
Oooh! That sounds so delicious. I’m going to have to give it a try. Thanks for the recipe.
_vTg_ says
Yummo! Only this morning I looked at my unopened bag of barley in the pantry and wondered how to get it into the Bros. They are chicken-lovers so this would be great.
Gill@OurParklife says
That sounds fantastic! Love barley…
Also loving your What’s inspiring me image….very pretty dresses!
life in a pink fibro says
Ooh. That looks great and is on the menu at the Fibro this week. I love barley. But it’s one of those things that I buy every time I decide to use it in a recipe – you know, just in case – so I have kilos of the stuff. Along with lentils. Same problem.
Ms Curious @ CCM says
Thanks for the recipe – I’m going to give it a try next week.
Chantelle {fat mum slim} says
Oh yum. I’ll be making this. I might make a vegetarian version {just so it’s less points} – and I hear a splash of soy sauce at the end makes it delectable. x
Frog, Goose and Bear says
oh yum, it is one of those cold wet ‘soup’ kind of days in Melbourne today.
Heather says
Yum! Made it for lunch. Was perfect warming food for our freezing weather we are having here in canberra at the moment. x
Lizeylou says
I cant wait to make this – it just looks and sounds so delicious. I might just have to go to the supermarket first thing tomorrow and get these ingredients and some yummy bread with lots of butter – YUMMO!