Spring Forward with Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

I guess I'm in a soup mood lately. And why not? It's simple, economical, filling, and all cooked in one pot.

This time, with spring just around the corner, I made my Spring Chicken & Barley Soup. It's loaded with the aforementioned chicken and barley. It's also loaded with a ton of fresh veggies: asparagus, zucchini and carrots to name a few.

It's a great dish to prepare for the changing seasons. The barley is still hearty and comforting on a cool evening, but the loads of asparagus and zucchini is a great reminder of the warmer weather ahead.

Here's the recipe.

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Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small carrot, diced small

1 small onion, diced small

2 stalks celery, diced small

6 cloves garlic, minced (you should know by now that I love garlic)

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 large bone-in chicken breast, skin removed, trimmed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1/3 cup pearl barley

1 can (15-ounce) diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 small bunch trimmed and diagonally sliced asparagus, 1/4 inch thick

2 small zucchini, chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add carrot, onion, and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, chicken, barley and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon. Return the broth to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken or cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bone.

When the barley is done, add the chicken, tomatoes and juice, asparagus, zucchini, salt, and a grinding of pepper (or more to taste); return to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the asparagus and zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes more. Enjoy!

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Cheers to longer days ahead!