Chicken and Barley Soup

Chicken and Barley Soup
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This soup is reminiscent of the vegetable soup you had as a kid, but uses more sophisticated flavours to add elegance to a rustic dish. The addition of chicken makes it more of a meal, and the balsamic vinegar gives a subtle tangy note to the soup.
Author:
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • ½ lb (0.3 kg) ground chicken
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (250 ml) onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • ½ lb (0.3 kg) mushrooms, large
  • 1 carrot, large
  • 1 stalk celery, large
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) thyme, fresh
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, low-sodium
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • ½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper
  • 4 cups (1 litre) water
  • ½ cup (125 ml) pearl barley
  • 1 can black beans
Instructions
  1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink inside. Add onion and garlic and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Wash and slice mushrooms, carrot and celery. Mince the fresh thyme. Add to ground chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms.
  3. Add tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to coat vegetables. Add water and barley. Bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until barley is tender
  5. Rinse canned beans, add to mixture and heat through.
Notes
Freeze remaining fresh thyme in a zip lock bag for use in other recipes.
This hearty soup makes a quick one-bowl meal. Serve with multigrain crusty bread.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 225 g Calories: 160 Fat: 5 g Saturated fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 20 g Sugar: 2 g Sodium: 410 mg Fiber: 6 g Protein: 10 g Cholesterol: 15 mg