Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Chicken Barley Soup 3.7 (246) 10 Reviews By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 28, 2020 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Warm up with a bowl of soup that's brimming with healthy grains and bright vegetables. Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 carrots, diced small 4 celery stalks, diced small 1 medium yellow onion, diced small 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces Coarse salt and ground pepper 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 5 sprigs thyme 1 cup quick-cooking barley 5 ounces baby spinach (5 cups) Directions In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until chicken is opaque at edges, about 2 minutes. Add broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until barley is tender and chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Cook's Notes Quick-cooking barley has been hulled, steamed, and then dried, so it will become soft and plump in 10 minutes as it simmers in broth with chicken and aromatics. Originally appeared: Everyday Food, October 2011 Rate It PRINT