Recipe
Chicken and Barley Soup
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serves: 10
This soup is reminiscent of the vegetable soup you had as a kid, but uses more sophisticated flavours to add elegance to a rustic dish. The addition of chicken makes it more of a meal, and the balsamic vinegar gives a subtle tangy note to the soup.
Ingredients
1/2 lb (0.3 kg)
ground chicken
1 tbsp (15 mL)
vegetable oil
1 cup (250 mL)
onion(s), diced
2
cloves garlic, diced
1/2 lb (0.3 kg)
mushrooms, large
1
carrot(s), large
1
stalk celery, large
1 tbsp (15 mL)
thyme, fresh
2 tbsp (30 mL)
tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 mL)
soy sauce, low-sodium
1 tbsp (15 mL)
balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL)
salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL)
pepper
4 cups (1 L)
water
1/2 cup (125 mL)
pearl barley
1
can black beans
Instructions
1
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink inside. Add onion and garlic and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2
Wash and slice mushrooms, carrot and celery. Mince the fresh thyme. Add to ground chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms.
3
Add tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to coat vegetables. Add water and barley. Bring to a boil.
4
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until barley is tender.
5
Rinse canned beans, add to mixture and heat through.