Easy Sunday: Hearty Chicken and Barley Soup

I'm running out of time to do stodgy winter warmers (hopefully I am, anyway - are you coming Spring? Well, are you?) Here's a delicious chicken and barley soup that won't fail to warm the cockles of your hearties. I simply adore barley and when I make this I usually add more than the recipe calls for (along with zucchini, of course... you could throw a couple of those in here too if you like).  This recipe was an award winner for a reader over at Australian Women's Weekly and you'll soon taste why.

Hearty Chicken and Barley Soup

1 cup barley

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
1 small sweet potato, chopped
2 medium  potatoes, chopped
1 medium swede, chopped (leave out if you can't get it, or substitute zucchini...)
8 cups salt-reduced chicken stock (like most things, it tastes better with the non-salt reduced version...)
4 cups water
4 chicken thigh fillets, chopped finely
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley

Place the barley in a large bowl. Cover with cold water, stand for 4 hours or overnight.


Heat oil in a large stockpot; cook onion, leek, celery and carrot, stirring, until softened. Add remaining vegetables, stock and water then bring to the boil. Add chicken and drained barley, simmer, loosely covered, about 1½ hours or until thickened.

Just before serving, season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.

Suitable to freeze.

Enjoy!