Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

From All Recipes

Prep Time: 35 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Yields: 12 servings
"Hearty and flavorful, this chicken and barley soup is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter's night."
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped carrots
5 cups diced red potatoes
3 cups chopped cooked
chicken
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 cup quick-cooking barley
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread slivered almonds evenly over a baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant. (about 5 min)
2. Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in oil until onions are tender.
3. Stir in carrots, potatoes, chicken, and broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in barley. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, parsley, and toasted almonds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


RESULTS: Don't skip the almonds, they're a really nice touch. Just be careful about burning them; I'd set the timer for 5 minutes and then keep checking them. Obviously, I learned this the hard way. All in all, a really comforting soup, and I think you could switch out vegetables, if you have to get rid of some others. Also, if you don't have quick barley, as I didn't, I just simmered the barley in the chicken broth for 45 minutes or so before adding it to the soup. Enjoy!

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