Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup

Name: Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided; 2 cups chopped leeks (white portion only); 1 celery rib, thinly sliced; 1 carrot, thinly sliced; 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth; 2-1/4 cups water; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

With chicken, barley and a host of delicious veggies, this is a tasty antidote to cold and flu chills. —Patricia Randall, Newton, Kansas

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups chopped leeks (white portion only)
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2-1/4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, saute the leeks, celery and carrot in remaining oil for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the broth, water, seasonings and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in barley and return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 218 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 550mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 4g fiber), 21g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Originally published as Chicken-Barley Soup in Healthy Cooking December/January 2011

Reviews

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Average Rating:

2GuysAndAGirl

Jan 1, 2011

Yummy
bizzyb

Nov 30, 2010

I made this with noodles instead of barley because I had the long-cooking kind instead of quick-cooking, and it was absolutely delicious anyway. I can't wait to make it again with barley. The leeks give the broth a rich flavor and this is definitely a keeper.
bonealcoldwellbankerbg.com

Nov 30, 2010

I would use and did use Swanson's chicken broth. It has no MSG or better still use chicken stock.
bonealcoldwellbankerbg.com

Nov 30, 2010

This is the best most comforting chicken soup ever. I can't wait to make it again.