The Dish | Chicken Barley Soup

My husband deserves the kudos for finding and perfecting this recipe — a hearty, delicious family favorite and the perfect “comfort food” main course for a weeknight dinner. I serve it with a warm loaf of crusty bread and a big leafy green salad. (Leftovers can be frozen for another tasty meal.) Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 high quality 2.5-3 lb whole roast chicken (we usually get Rosie or Rocky), giblets removed
• 3-4 chicken bouillon cubes and 6 cups water, OR 6 cups chicken broth (Better than Bouillon is a good choice)
• ⅓ cup pearl barley
• 3 stalks of celery sliced
• 2 carrots sliced into half circles
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 large leeks rinsed and cut into circle slices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the whole chicken into large pieces (throw away giblets — or save for some other purpose)
2. Fill a large pot of water with 6 cups of water or 6 cups of chicken broth. If using water, add enough bouillon for 6 cups of liquid.
3. Add the cut up chicken, pearl barley, chopped celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt and pepper to the pot, bring to a boil and let the soup simmer for 35 minutes  (Do not add the leeks — they go in later.)
4. After 35 minutes, take the soup off the stove. Remove the chicken pieces with tongs, remove bones and cut up the chicken into bite size pieces. 
5. Once soup cools, skim off the grease that has risen to the top of the soup and discard.
6. Add the cut up leeks and chicken to the soup.
7. Let the soup simmer again for another 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
8. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Add more bouillon if needed.
9. Scoop into large bowls and serve with warm bread and salad.