Chicken Barley Soup

This chicken soup with barley, kale and a garlic chili oil is so quick to come together, you'll think you've been cooking it for hours.

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 408kcal

In large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, stirring often for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the garlic and oil to a heatproof bowl and stir in crushed red pepper flakes.
Return pot to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, barley, and chicken to pot. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and shred. Continue cooking soup for another 30-40 minutes or until barley is cooked.
Once barley is cooked, stir in kale and shredded chicken. Remove pot from heat and add lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.
Serve in bowls and top with reserved garlic chili oil.

The garlic chili oil has a kick to it so if you don't love spice either remove entirely or use ½ teaspoon less. If you like spice you can always add ½ - 1 teaspoon more.
Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the soup more mouth feel.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
You know the barley is done when it has tripled in volume and is soft yet chewy.
Remove the stems from the kale before adding to the soup as they are too fibrous to eat.