Hearty Chicken Barley Soup

It's been a while since I've posted anything food related, hasn't it? Well, you'll be happy to know that I found a new favorite! 

I was recently inspired to cook a comforting meal as a result of being sick. I couldn't decide between cooking a beef barley soup or a chicken noodle, so I combined the best of both. I love the hearty texture of a beef barley soup, but I knew that the chicken broth would soothe my stomach. The result was a healthy and nourishing meal that enriched my aching body. 

But, before I hand over my recipe, let me first enlighten (or bore) you with a history lesson regarding the Celtic peoples and how they used barley. Barley was a staple to the Celtic diet. Although they utilized this ancient grain in baked goods, like bannock, as well as beers, they also regularly made soups and porridge.  Since barley is extremely fibrous and has a high content of maltose (sugars), it was the perfect grain to sustain whole tribes during the colder months and kept the Celtic people healthy and energized.

In addition to the barley, adding herbs to your soup is a wonderful way to enhance taste as well as health benefits. For this particular soup, I added parsley and thyme. Parsley is a diuretic, which basically encourages urination and thus clears the system from any toxins. Thyme is a warm, sweat-inducing herb which is excellent for ridding oneself of the common cold or even fever. It is quite the versatile herb and is a curative for a sore throat and even whooping cough. The healing powers of herbs never cease to amaze me.

Now, as promised, the recipe:

Hearty Chicken Barley Soup

Serves 4-6, Prep./Cook time ~90min.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

8 cups of chicken stock

1 1/2 cup of pearl barley

3 skinless chicken breasts (boneless optional)

1 tbsp of parsley

1 tbsp of thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

After peeling and chopping the vegetables, add the olive oil to a large cooking pot and heat to medium/low heat. Throw in the onions first, until soft and wilted, followed by the carrots and celery. Continue cooking veggies until the onions begin to caramelize. Then add in chicken stock and barley. Turn heat up to medium/high. Once the soup comes to nice bubble, lower the stove top to a medium heat, add in chicken breast, parsley, and thyme, and cover with lid. Continue to cook for 30 minutes. Then remove the chicken, shred, and return it to the pot. Add salt and pepper to your liking and the soup is ready!

Of course this meal pairs best with freshly baked bannock bread. Enjoy!