Chicken - Barley Soup

One pot dishes like stews, soups are very filling and easy work. Especially when you spouse is away for a while and you are in no mood to cook elaborately just for you !! Not to forget the kitchen needs major cleaning!!!!

I make a variety of soups and this soup is very special because it has barley in it. Like Ragi, barley is one often forgotten grain supposedly very good for health. If you have never tried barley, the taste is very nutty and earthy. Because of the starch content its a natural thickener without the need to add any corn flour. Pregnant women are recommended drink barley water to reduce the swelling in legs, it essentially helps draining the water.

There is no one consistent recipe for my chicken-barley soup except ofcourse for the chicken and barley. Soaking a handful of barley beforehand really helps. This dish is a very good slow-cooking crockpot recipe if you dont want to soak the barley.

Its a no-hassle process to cook it.

• Cut a couple of chicken breasts into small pieces and saute in two tsp of olive oil.

• Add whatever veggies you have at hand. Make sure all the veggies are the same size as the chicken. Good choices of veggies would be carrots, peas, potatoes, bell peppers, zuchini.

• When the chicken pieces are brown add a carton of chicken stock, handful of soaked barley, two tablespoons of tomato paste or puree.
  

• Boil and cook well for atleast half an hour until the desired thickness.
  

• If your stock does not have salt, add some salt. Just before switching off the stove add pepper powder, cilantro ( or parsley ).

The recipe can be made entirely vegetarian by using veggie stock and paneer ( or soya or tofu ) instead of the chicken. Try this recipe when you are in no mood for too much cooking or eating oily take out food !!!