Chicken Barley Soup

This delicious simple Chicken Barley Soup is loaded with just the right balance of hearty barley and tender chicken breast that is encased in the most incredible down-home extra chickeny broth! It’s a comforting meal that is sure to warm you up as the days get colder.

Easy Chicken Barley Soup Recipe

If you have tried my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and loved it, it’s amazing by the way, then you are going to love this Chicken Barley Soup just as much! Maybe even more if you’re trying to add some more whole grains to your diet and cut out processed wheat. It’s very similar in flavor and takes a little less time and effort to make. 

In fact, this easy recipe is just as tasty, simple, and takes about the same amount of time to make as my Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. You just can’t beat that! A homemade soup made on the stove that is just as quick as an IP recipe with just as much flavor! But it’s totally possible by using whole chicken breasts with the skin, flavorful chicken broth, a bit of bouillon, and taking the time to properly sauté the veggies.

It’s an absolutely delicious recipe! So break out your big pot and get to cooking some Chicken Barley Soup as the weather cools off outside. You won’t be sorry and your family is going to love it!

• Olive Oil – I like to use olive oil for its flavor, but you can use any type of vegetable oil you like to sauté the veggies.
• Onion – Brown onion adds fantastic flavor to the soup, but any type of onion you have on hand is fine.
• Carrots – Adds just the right touch of veggie sweetness.
• Celery – A classic chicken soup ingredient along with the onion and carrots.
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – To control the amount of added salt I always use a low-sodium variety of broth.
• Chicken – You will need whole chicken breasts with the skin on. They can be with or without the bone in.
• Pearl Barley – It’s a grain that is a member of the grass family and is used instead of noodles in this chicken soup recipe. 
• Chicken Bouillon – Helps to add even deeper chicken flavor to the soup.
• Salt – A touch of salt is needed to develop the flavors.
• Black Pepper – You can use regular or freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
• Bay Leaves – An aromatic leaf used in most soup recipes.

One of the main reasons that I love making soup so much is because it is so darn easy! This is a 3-step recipe that takes very little effort. And the leftovers, if any, are even better the next day.

Sauté The Veggies

To begin, you need to sauté your mirepoix, which is your onions, carrots, and celery. So heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high. Then add the veggies to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they are just a tad soft. The onions should be translucent before you move on to the next step. 

Add The Chicken And Barley To Cook

Once the veggies are sautéed, add the chicken broth to the Dutch oven along with the whole chicken breasts, barley, chicken bouillon, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Next, bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Now, cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. The soup is done when the barley is tender and the chicken is fully cooked. If the barley is still firm you need to keep cooking!

Finish The Soup

When the soup is finished cooking, remove the bay leaves. Then remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with 2 forks.

Now, put the shredded chicken back into the pot to combine with the veggies and barley. Finally, taste your soup for salt and season if needed. How much salt you need will depend on the amount that was added by the chicken stock and bouillon as well as your personal preference.

Serve And Enjoy

To serve, ladle the homemade chicken barley soup into bowls and enjoy with some fresh Air Fryer No Knead Bread or Crescent Rolls. I also sometimes like to pair this soup with a hearty Chef Salad for an easy soup and salad lunch or dinner.

What Can I Add To The Soup?

Chicken barley soup is delicious as is, but feel free to doctor it up any way you like. You could easily add some spinach or kale to get some more greens into your diet. Another yummy option is mushrooms. It’s totally up to you. There are no rules when making most soups.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead Of Breasts?

Yes! You’ll need to use about 4 chicken thighs in place of the breasts. But do know that using thighs will change the amount of fat and calories in the soup. 

How To Store

Leftover chicken barley soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

To reheat, just put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or reheat it in a saucepan on the stove. And for frozen soup, you can either let it thaw out first or reheat it from frozen in the microwave or on the stovetop.  

Other Delicious Soups To Try

• Beef Barley Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Instant Pot Cabbage Soup
• Beef Lentil Soup
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Chicken and Corn Chowder

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5 from 9 votes

Chicken Barley Soup

Prep 10 minutes minutes

Cook 1 hour hour

Total 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

6

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This delicious simple Chicken Barley Soup is loaded with just the right balance of hearty barley and tender chicken breast that is encased in the most incredible down-home extra chickeny broth! It’s a comforting meal that is sure to warm you up as the days get colder.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 large onion (chopped)
• ▢ 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
• ▢ 2 ribs celery (chopped)
• ▢ 6 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
• ▢ 2 chicken breasts (whole, w/skin and/or bone in)
• ▢ ⅔ cup pearl barley (rinsed)
• ▢ 1 cube chicken bouillon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 bay leaves

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and sauté for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
  
• Add the broth, chicken breasts, barley, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the barley is tender.
  
• Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred with two forks.
  
• Add the chicken back to the soup. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
  

Equipment

• 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Notes

1. Use pearl barley. It cooks much faster than standard barley. If you don’t use pearl barley you will need to increase the cooking time. 
2. Season at the very end. All soup reduces as it cooks. So if you add additional salt too early on in the cooking process there is a good chance you will end up with salty soup.
3. Make it creamy. To make creamy chicken barley soup just add a little heavy cream when you add the shredded chicken back into the pot at the end and then cook it for about 3 minutes to thicken up.  
4. Leftover chicken barley soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 222kcal (11%)Carbohydrates: 25g (8%)Protein: 16g (32%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 24mg (8%)Sodium: 533mg (23%)Potassium: 555mg (16%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 4089IU (82%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 38mg (4%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.