Editor’s Note: Here’s another wonderful installment in our series on Grains.
My mami’s kitchen pantry was always well stocked. Beans, sopitas, chiles, and grains were her go-to staples for weekly meals. A pot of beans was always churning away on the stove alongside a caldo that simmered all day that would be served for dinner.
A spicy caldo speckled with vegetables, barley, and diced chicken was her favorite soup on a cold winter evening. These are the flavors I crave when the temperatures drop. I’ve tweaked the recipe to reduce cooking time without losing the comfort sensation of an all day simmer that can be enjoyed any day of the week.
THE ABC’s OF BARLEY
The third recipe in our grain series begins with chicken barley soup. Eating barley has shown to help prevent blood sugar levels from rising and aids in reducing blood pressure. Rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium…barley is also packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber. Barley has a chewy consistency with a nutty taste. Barley can be served as a side dish, cooked in soups or stews, or made into a breakfast cereal.
Read Related: Chipotle Black Bean Soup
CHIPOTLE CHICKEN BARLEY SOUP
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
2 TBSP Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
1 cup barley
½ TSP comino
6 cups chicken stock
1 chipotle chile, from can, finely chopped
2–3 spoons of adobo sauce from canned chipotles
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
- Over medium heat add oil, carrots and onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Add chicken, cook for 5 minutes, stir to brown on all sides.
- Add barley and comino and cook an additional minute, stirring constantly.
- Add broth, chile and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Remove lid add adobo sauce 1 spoonful at the time until reached desired heat. Serve warm.
