Lemon Chicken Barley Soup

Course: Macro-friendly

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 329kcal

Author: Lauren

Warm up with a bowl of this delicious Lemon Chicken Barley Soup. A hearty soup full of of zesty flavors and healthy ingredients. This one-pot soup is easy to make and guaranteed to be just what the doctor ordered on a cold chilly night.

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Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil (30g)
1 large yellow onion (196g) finely chopped
2 large carrots (125g) finely chopped
2 stalks celery (125g) finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup pearl barley (123g) rinsed
8 cups/64 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
1.5 lb. boneless chicken breast
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
3-4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice to taste
Optional to add: 1/2 tsp roasted chicken paste or 2 bay leaves both add more flavor depth

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and saute until golden, about 6 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the barley until well dispersed, then add the broth, chicken breasts, salt and pepper (if adding bay leaves add them here too).
Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and poach the chicken until cooked, about 15 minutes for large breasts (check at thickest part for 165F internal temp or clear juices running through). Remove chicken breasts from the broth and set aside to cool.
Stir in the lemon juice. Cover and continue cooking until the barley is tender, about another 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, shred the chicken with two forks.
When ready to finish, stir in the shredded chicken. Let simmer for a few minutes to warm through and soak up flavor. Sample the soup– add salt, pepper or lemon juice paste if needed to taste. For more flavor, stir in a little roasted chicken paste.
Serve hot with fresh cracked pepper and enjoy! Also yummy topped with sour cream and served with bread to soak up the juices!

Notes

Store leftover chicken barley soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

If the soup thickens too much once you refrigerate it, you can add a little water or broth when you reheating it to bring it back to the right consistency. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can also cook the barley separately and add it to the individual bowls when serving serving if you plan on enjoying this soup throughout the week.

Nutrition