This is a high-protein, high-fiber, and low-fat recipe that is very filling. I usually double the recipe so I have plenty of leftovers. The soup freezes well. This soup comes out very thick; if you like a thinner soup, add more water or reduce the barley to 1/2 cup. This soup recipe is very flexible. Adjust amount of veggies and seasonings to your family’s taste.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, or more to taste
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery (try to include celery leaves)
- 1 onion, chopped
- ¾ cup pearl barley
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cube chicken bouillon, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Steps
- Combine water, chicken thighs, and bay leaves in a large stock pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a cutting board to cool. Remove and discard bones, skin, and fat; cut the remaining chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to broth.
- Cool broth until the fat congeals on the surface; skim and discard fat.
- Add carrots, celery, onion, pearl barley, bay leaves, chicken bouillon, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and black pepper to broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is cooked and vegetables are tender, 60 to 90 minutes. Stir lemon juice into soup just before serving.
