Chicken and Potato Barley Soup
- Ready In:
- 25mins
- Ingredients:
- 17
- Yields:
-
8 Bowls
- Serves:
- 8
ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 lbs ground chicken (turkey can also be used)
- 1 1⁄4 cups quick-cooking barley
- 2 (15 ounce) cans Italian tomatoes, diced and not drained
- 1 cup onion, diced fine
- 2 carrots, diced fine (medium size)
- 2⁄3 cup celery, diced fine
- 2 (15 ounce) cans potatoes, drained and chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 -3 teaspoons garlic, minced (more or less to taste)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (to saute the chicken and vegetables)
- salt
- pepper
-
Garnish
- parmesan cheese
-
Optional
- fresh spinach
directions
- Chicken (or turkey) -- In a large pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium to medium high heat. Add in the chicken (or turkey), garlic, celery, carrots and onion and saute until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are slightly tender. It should take around 10 minutes.
- Broth and Barley -- Add the broth and bring it to a boil. Add the barley and reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook until the barley is tender. About 15 minutes. It depends, it can vary, just keep an eye on it.
- Finish -- When the barley is just about done, firm but tender, add in the tomatoes, potatoes (drained), worcestershire, basil, salt and pepper to taste, and cook another few minutes to combine all the flavors. About 5 minutes or so.
- Serve -- Toss in the parsley and stir well until combined. If you want, you can add some fresh spinach. It only takes a couple of minutes to wilt. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and serve with some crusty bread and a tossed salad. It is a great quick cooking easy soup for a weeknight dinner. ENJOY!
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>