This healthy chicken barley soup recipe is filling and delicious, with a simple homemade chicken stock from a whole fryer and a combination of fresh and frozen veggies for convenience. Cook the barley separately and add it at the end of cooking to prevent it from soaking up all of the chicken stock in this hearty chicken and vegetable soup.
Remove the gizzards and offal from the cavity of the chicken and transfer to a large dutch oven or heavy stock pot. Add enough cool water to cover the chicken by 1".
Add the carrot, onion, celery, peppercorns, kosher salt and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. When the pot starts to boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and set the lid askew on the pot, so steam can escape. Simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Use a pair of tongs to carefully transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
Set the mesh strainer over a large mixing bowl and ladle or pour (whichever is less cumbersome) the remainder of the stock and vegetables through the strainer. Use the back of a wooden spoon to press down on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables.
You can make this stock ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for several days or up to a week. It freezes well too.
MAKE THE CHICKEN BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP:
After the chicken has cooled, pull the meat from the bird and shred or chop it. Discard the skin, bones and cartilage.
In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and have given up some of their liquid.
Add the carrots, onion and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and the onions and celery are slightly translucent.
Add the pulled chicken, diced tomatoes and juice, chicken stock and bundle of thyme. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a bubbling simmer and cook for 15 minutes with the lid resting askew so steam can escape.
Remove the bundle of thyme and discard. Stir in the frozen vegetables and cooked barley and heat for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are hot.
Taste for seasonings and adjust with additional salt and/or pepper as needed.