Chicken Barley Soup has chicken, tender pearls of cooked barley, plus spinach and leeks in a flavorful broth.
Easy One Pot Chicken Barley Soup
There’s a slight chill in the air…and that means soup season is right around the corner! You’re going to love this hearty Chicken Barley Soup.
It has tender pearl barley and chunks of cooked chicken, plus spinach and leeks in a super flavorful broth. Not only is this soup very delicious, but it’s also easy to make in one pot in less than an hour.
Simply sauté barley and leeks in olive oil, then add chicken thighs, chicken stock, and fresh parsley. Simmer until the barley is tender (about 20 to 30 minutes) then remove the chicken and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with some baby spinach and season to taste.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pearl Barley – This is hulled barley sold in bags at most supermarkets. You can also buy it online here.
- Leeks – For this recipe, you’ll only use the white part of the leek. Be sure to rinse well, removing any sand. Leeks add a mild, onion-like flavor to the soup.
- Chicken Thighs – Buy boneless, skinless thighs. Although you could technically use chicken breast, we prefer the dark chicken of the thighs because it has more flavor and stays moist and tender when cooked.
- Fresh Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley
- Chicken stock – Homemade, if possible, or buy low sodium chicken stock.
- Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Baby Spinach
- Kosher Salt – Added only if needed to taste, depending on the saltiness of your chicken stock and the finished soup.
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- The barley in this soup will soak up the stock unless you cool the soup down quickly once cooked. If this happens, feel free to add more stock or a little water.
- This recipe is very easy to make and very easy to adapt. If you want more or less of any ingredient on the list, just make your own adjustments.
Chicken Barley Soup
Chicken Barley Soup has chicken, tender pearls of cooked barley, plus spinach and leeks in a flavorful broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: Boiling, simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound diced leeks, whites only and cleaned of sand
- 1 cup uncooked pearl barley (5.3 ounces in weight)
- 3 quarts chicken stock, homemade if possible. If not, buy low sodium stock
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and connecting tissue, left whole (about two pounds after trimming)
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces baby spinach
- Salt, only if needed
Instructions
- In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and once hot, add the leeks and barley and sauté for about five minutes, or until the leeks have become somewhat soft.
- Add the stock, whole chicken thighs, parsley and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a low simmer.
- Cook 20-30 minutes or until the barley is tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
- Add spinach and shredded chicken back into the pot.
- Heat just to serving temperature.
- Taste for salt and adjust if needed and serve in bowls.
- Add more stock if the barley absorbs too much of the liquid.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Chicken Barley Soup ahead of time? Yes, but cool the soup quickly if you plan to serve later – the barley will soak up some of the stock as it sits. To cool a pot of soup quick, fill your sink with ice water, then set the entire pot in the sink, being careful not to let the water flow over the rim of the pot. Stir occasionally. (You can add more ice to the sink if needed.) This process will bring the soup to about room temperature. Pour into a container for storage and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- How do I store leftovers? Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave. Depending on how much stock gets absorbed into the barley as it sat, you may or may not need to add more chicken stock or water.
- Can I freeze Chicken Barley Soup? Yes, however the barley may expand a bit once thawed and reheated.
Click here for more delicious Soup recipes!
