Chicken & Pearl Barley Soup

Sometimes, when the dreary weather sets in, you want some good old chicken soup like mama used to make. Or something like that. This soup is full of healthy veges and barley, served up in a warming chicken broth with chunks of tender chicken. Yum! Soul food.

Ingredients (Serves 6 as main, 10 as entree)

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 800gm chicken thighs
• 1 large carrot
• 1 parsnip
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1 leek
• 1/2 head celery
• 700gm potatoes, peeled
• 2 medium onions
• 1 swede
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Soak the pearl barley for 4 hours or overnight in a large bowl of water.
Drain and set aside.
Dice all of the vegetables into roughly the same size.

Chop the chicken finely.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat
Add the leek, onions and carrot and saute until softened

Add the remaining vegetables, stock and water and bring to the boil

Add the chicken and barley
Reduce to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for 1 1/2 hours
Finely chop the parsley and stir through the soup
Season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy