Chicken & Barley Soup

As the weather tempts us with thoughts of Autumn, my mind gets busy trying to craft *comfort* foods that fit within my current dietary needs.

Hubby is a fan of Beef Barley Soup, but I only eat beef or pork once a week these days and I have all this barley to use up, so I got creative.

This #KitchenExperiment turned out better than I could have dreamt! Yum-o!

Served with Garlic Cheese Toast Spread on hubby’s homemade bread.

TIP: The step for marinating the chicken is truly optional. You can always just add it when it’s time to cook it in the IP.

Chicken & Barley Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 1/4 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp coconut aminos
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt, and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.
2. Whisk in 3 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 Tbsp EVOO, and 1 1/4 tsp minced garlic.
3. To a gallon-size Ziploc bag (or large, shallow dish with lid/cling wrap) add 1″ cubed 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, seal bag if using and toss (or stir if using dish) to coat.
4. If using dish, cover.
5. Transfer to fridge to marinate for 30 mins.
6. Select SAUTE – NORMAL on Instant Pot.
7. Transfer marinated chicken to a plate, allowing excess marinade to drip off into marinade receptacle – return to fridge temporarily.
8. Pour remaining marinade into IP’s inner pot and heat 30 secs.
9. Add chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 celery rib, and chopped 1/2 yellow onion then saute 3 mins.
10. Add marinated chicken and stir until well-coated, then select CANCEL.
11. Add ½ cup pearl barley, 32 oz low sodium chicken broth, 1 1/2 tsp coconut aminos, 1 tsp low sodium Worcestershire sauce, and 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley and stir to combine.
12. Seal lid, then select PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL) for 10 mins.
13. Once cooking cycle completes, do a quick release and select CANCEL. 
14. Remove lid and add marinated chicken, ensuring chicken is fully submerged.
15. Seal lid, then select PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL) for 6 mins.
16. Once cooking cycle completes, allow a natural release for 5 mins, then do a quick release (QR) of remaining pressure.
17. Remove lid and add any additional salt and/or pepper to taste. (I eat it as is. Hubby adds pepper.)

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving	2 cups
Calories	350
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Cholesterol 85mg	28%
Sodium 750mg	33%
Total Carbohydrate 30g	11%
Dietary Fiber 6g	21%
Total Sugars 5g
Added Sugars 1g
Protein 35g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 50mg	4%
Iron 2mg	10%
Potassium 600mg	13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

#HighProtein #LowFat #InstantPot