Spring Chicken & Barley Soup
You might think of barley as an addition to hearty, wintery soups, such as mushroom-barley or beef-barley soup, but it also works well in lighter soups like this one with chicken, asparagus and peas.

Prep Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
4 servings, about 2 cups each
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
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1/2 cup finely chopped onion
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1/2 cup finely chopped celery
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2 cloves garlic, divided
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6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
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1 large bone-in chicken breast, (10-12 ounces), skin removed, trimmed
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1/3 cup pearl barley
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1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
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1 cup trimmed and diagonally sliced asparagus, (1/4 inch thick)
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1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
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1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
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Freshly ground pepper, to taste
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1/2 cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaves
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1 strip orange zest, (1/2 by 2 inches)
Directions
1.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Grate or finely chop 1 clove garlic; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, chicken and barley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon. Return the broth to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
2.
Meanwhile, shred the chicken or cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bone.
3.
When the barley is done, add the chicken, tomatoes and juice, asparagus, peas, salt and a grinding of pepper; return to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.
4.
Coarsely chop the remaining garlic clove. Gather basil, orange zest and the garlic and finely chop together. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with a generous pinch of the basil mixture.
Tip:
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat the soup, thin with broth if desired and finish with Step 4 just before serving.
Nutrition information
Calories 265, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 39 mg, Sodium 745 mg, Carbohydrate 28 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 24 g, Potassium 405 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin A 30%, Vitamin C 40%, Iron 15%. Exchanges: Starch 1.5,Vegetable 1,Lean Meat 2.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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Recommended Recipe:
Slow Cooker Chicken-Barley Stew
Try this chicken barley stew recipe made with Progresso® chicken broth from Betty Crocker.
See Recipe

