My Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup is certain to become a family favourite. With tender, shredded, poached chicken, nutty, chewy pearl barley, the soup is brimming with a medley of vegetables in a creamy broth. Hearty and nourishing, this soup is a deeply satisfying, comforting meal. Just add some crusty bread, and you will have a complete meal!
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- You can easily customise the ingredients in this soup to suit your taste; switch up the vegetables for those you prefer or have on hand.
- The pearl barley is a great addition to soup as it maintains its chewy texture.
- There are few foods more appealing than a homemade soup, bubbling away on the stove, the rich aroma promising a comforting meal.
- This is a great recipe to have in your repertoire; flavoursome chicken soups have a deeply soothing element.
- The addition of a small amount of cream gives the broth a pleasing texture.
Recipe Inspiration: like my Mediterranean Barley Vegetable Soup, we love pearl barley as an ingredient. It is perfect for soup as it maintains its chewy texture, it does not become mushy.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Olive oil – we have used extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour and nutritional benefit. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Brown/yellow onion – this is the onion most frequently used when cooking. You can use white onion if you prefer.
- Carrot – the carrot adds colour, flavour and nutrients.
- Celery – one of the trio of vegetables in the flavour base.
- Flat leaf parsley – for flavour, we use both the stems and leaves.
- Garlic – for the best result, use fresh cloves. The flavour is superior to bottled or pre-minced.
- Skinless, boneless chicken breasts – the main protein component in the soup. They are poached until just cooked, then shredded.
- Pearl/pearled barley – this ancient grain adds texture and flavour to the soup.
- Chicken/vegetable stock – use homemade or a good quality commercial variety.
- Dried chilli flakes – add a touch of spice.
- Dried basil and dried oregano – traditional Mediterranean herbs.
- Fresh rosemary leaves – I prefer to use the fresh herb. If you only have the dried herb, use one third of the amount as it is concentrated.
- Parmesan rind – is a great flavour booster.
- Kale leaves – I have used curly kale; use the variety you prefer.
- Flour - a little helps to thicken the soup.
- Thickened/heavy whipping cream - we have used cream, which contains a minimum of 35% milk fat.
- Lemon juice – the acidity of freshly squeezed lemon juice boosts the overall flavour of the soup.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to suit your taste. This will depend on the saltiness of the stock.
Variations:
Barley – the variety you are most likely to find is pearl/pearled barley. If you prefer to use hulled, it will take a little longer to cook.
Chicken – you can use skinless, boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
Herbs – you may prefer to use another variety, such as marjoram or fresh basil.
How To Make Chicken and Barley Soup:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Sauté the soffritto:
Add the olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté gently for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally. Add the finely chopped parsley stems and garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook for a further 2 minutes.
2 – Add in the barley:
Add the pearl barley, stir together with the vegetables. Add the chicken breasts, stock, herbs and parmesan rind. Make sure that the breasts are submerged in the liquid. Over low heat, with the lid on, gently bring to a simmer.
3 – Remove the cooked chicken:
Simmer about 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and registers 74 C(165 F) on a thermometer.
4 – Shred the chicken breast:
Remove the breasts and set aside on a chopping board to rest for 5 minutes before shredding with two forks. Set aside.
5 – Simmer the soup:
Simmer the soup gently for about 15 extra minutes until the pearl barley is cooked. Add the shredded chicken and cream. Bring back to simmer and simmer another 2 minutes.
Remove the Parmesan rind and add the lemon juice.
6 – Serve and enjoy:
Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and grated Parmesan.
Hint: chicken breast has an unnecessarily bad reputation for being dry. As it is a lean cut of chicken, it will become dry if it is overcooked. For this reason, I recommend using a thermometer as it is more accurate than timing.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
It does not need to be soaked; it will cook quickly with the vegetables.
No, it is not gluten-free. If you want a gluten-free soup, you may like my Italian Lentil Soup or Mediterranean Red Lentil Soup.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will have thickened slightly on standing, so you may need to add more stock or water. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
We don't recommend freezing this soup once prepared, as the cream can split when reheated. If you would like to freeze the soup, leave the cream out of the portion you wish to freeze - it can be added when you reheat the soup if you wish.
Top Tip:
As always, you will get the best result by using good quality ingredients. For instance, if you have had an open package of pearl barley in the cupboard for some time, it is best to check that it has not become stale or rancid. The expiration date is a good guide.
Before serving, check that the seasoning is to your taste, adding extra salt, pepper or chilli flakes if necessary. With many dishes, the success depends on being properly seasoned.
Serving Suggestions:
There are few foods more comforting than a bowl of steaming hot soup for lunch or dinner. You need no more than bread, such as our No-Knead Spelt Bread Loaf, to accompany this nourishing soup.
- This is a complete meal in a bowl, and a family favourite.
- Take it to a potluck, it is wonderfully portable, and ideal for chilly nights.
This Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup will be a great addition to your soup repertoire. Made in just one pot, it is comforting and sustaining, as well as family friendly. A great bonus! Please let me know in the comments below if you give it a try.
Alex xx
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Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 large brown/yellow onion - peeled and cut into a rough dice
- 2 large carrot - washed, roughly diced
- 3 ribs celery - roughly diced
- 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 6 parsley stems (leaves set aside for garnish) - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon plain/all-purpose flour
- 150 g (¾ cup) pearl barley - rinsed well and drained
- 2 skinless/boneless chicken breasts - approx. 500 g (17 oz total weight)
- 5 cups (1.25 litres) chicken or vegetable stock See Note 2
- 1 piece Parmesan rind – about 7 ½ cm/3 inches See Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 2 cups curly kale - stems removed - finely chopped and firmly packed
- 125 ml (½ cup) heavy/thickened cream See Note 4
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 5
To Serve:
- parsley leaves - finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 8 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally. Add the finely chopped parsley stems and garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the flour, stir and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the pearl barley, stir together with the vegetables. Add the chicken, stock, herbs and parmesan rind. Make sure that the breasts are submerged with the liquid. Over low heat, with the lid on, gently bring to a simmer. Simmer about 12-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and registers 74 C (165 F) on a thermometer.
- Remove the breasts and set aside on a chopping board to rest for 5 minutes before shredding with two forks. Set aside.
- Simmer the soup gently for about 15 extra minutes until the pearl barley is cooked. Add the kale, shredded chicken and cream. Bring back to simmer and simmer another 2 minutes.
- Remove the Parmesan rind and add the lemon juice. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a little additional stock or water.Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Stock: chicken or vegetable are both suitable for this recipe.
- Parmesan Rind: a small piece of leftover Parmesan rind softens as the soup cooks and adds great flavour.
- Cream: use thickened/heavy cream that has 35% milk fat.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Storage and reheating: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. The soup may thicken while standing, so just add some more stock or water. We recommend reheating gently, so the cream does not split.
- Freezing: we prefer to not freeze soups with cream, as they can split when being reheated. If you are looking to freeze the soup, omit the cream and only add when reheating. The soup can be frozen without the cream for up to three months.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Jan Buckley says
I have just made this recipe and the taste is delicious
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you so much, Jan!
Alex xo
Lucy says
This was lunch today! Very tasty and filling. Followed recipe exactly, except I did have some leftover roast chicken to use, so did this instead. Next time I will make with the chicken breasts.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Lucy,
A great lunch for sure 🙂 Yum! It is ideal for using up leftover chicken, I agree.
Thanks so much for your comment. Alex xo
dachiri says
Generally, a good recipe. However, I found it a little dry. I did adjust for the imperial vs. US measurements (6 cups of stock instead of 5 if using US measurements), but it still was not enough stock, and therefore not enough cream. I actually used less chicken (15 ounces) because I used the leftovers of a store rotisserie, so that was not the problem. When it came out too thick at the end, I added 2 US cups of broth (8 US cups total) and an additional US quarter cup of cream (about a cup US total), and it was actually soup, rather than the densest stew ever.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Dachiri,
Thank you for giving the recipe a try 🙂
Although I haven't experienced this recipe not having enough stock, I am glad you were able to tailor it to your liking and enjoyed the soup. 🙂
Alex xo
Angela says
A delicious easily made soup. The added bonus of barley makes it a little more hearty. I also liked the colour fullness of the kale and carrots. Great for my work lunches.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Angela,
Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback - I am so glad that you enjoyed the soup 🙂
Alex xo