Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine International

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 530kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

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