Recipe Friday: Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

The weather in Illinois is still cold and rainy one day while nice and spring like the next. This soup is a nice pick me up/warm me up kind of meal.

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms

2 celery stalks, diced

1 cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped pepper (red, green, yellow, or orange)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed

1 teaspoon dried parsley, crushed

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

6 cups chicken broth

1 lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 ¾ cups)

½ cup quick cooking barley

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, toss chicken breast pieces with poultry seasoning; set aside
2. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrot, onion, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley, and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove vegetables from Dutch oven; set aside.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to Dutch oven; heat over medium head. Add chicken pieces and cook for about 5 minutes or until browned; stir occasionally.
4. Return vegetables to Dutch oven. Add broth and bring to boil.
5. Add potatoes and barley to Dutch oven, return to boil, and reduce heat.
6. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
7. Makes 8 (1 ½ cup) servings.

Happy Eating!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue