Barley Soup Recipe
A delicious chicken-based soup cooked with barley, carrots, and sweet peas Served with a Lemon slice on the side.
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Ingredients
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Soup Base
Seasoning & Fats
Method
Soup Base
Prepare barley
Rinse the pearl barley under cold running water in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
Sear chicken
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the chicken pieces lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken in a single layer and sear until lightly golden on the outside, about 2 minutes per side (they will finish cooking in the soup). Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Sweat aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter to the pot. When the butter melts, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
Add liquids and barley
Return the seared chicken to the pot. Add the rinsed pearl barley, chicken broth, and 1 cup of water. Tuck in the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil.
Simmer
Once boiling, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially with a lid and simmer until the barley is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30–35 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim any foam from the surface.
Finish cooking
When barley is tender, remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs (if using whole sprigs). Use tongs to pull larger pieces of chicken and shred them with two forks in the pot, or remove, shred on a cutting board and return to the soup. Stir to combine.
Seasoning & Finish
Add peas and season
Stir in the thawed sweet peas and continue cooking for 3–4 minutes until peas are heated through. Taste and add remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, or adjust to your preference.
Adjust consistency
If soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup additional warm water or broth to reach desired consistency and simmer 2 minutes more to heat through.
Garnish and serve
Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a slice of lemon on the side to squeeze over individual bowls for brightness. Offer additional salt and pepper at the table.