Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

We roasted a whole 6lb chicken the other night, and the next few days would be chicken leftovers of course. I also had vegetables and mushrooms and various beans, so when I saw the recipe from Allrecipes.com, I decided to try it. It was a great way for me to use up the leftovers and vegetables.

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup
Adapted from: Allrecipes.com
Original recipe was halved

Ingredients:
1/2 cup slivered almonds (I omitted)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (I used baby portabellas)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped carrots (I had 1 extra carrot, so I added that in)
2-1/2 cups diced red potatoes
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
5 cups chicken broth (I used 3 cups broth and 2 cups water)
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1 tablespoon butter (I omitted)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I used 1 tsp of dried)
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
If including the almonds, preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Spread slivered almonds evenly over a baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant.

1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in oil until onions are tender.

2. Stir in carrots, potatoes, chicken, and broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in barley. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, parsley, and toasted almonds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This was the first time I’ve ever cooked with barley. I must admit, I’m not sure if I’m much of a fan. Sure, it kept me full for a while, but somehow in this soup, it was a little off. If I try this soup again, I will probably add more spices to it. Otherwise, I found it a little bland. It’s a good clear soup for detoxifying though…so Gary says.