Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Soup

Simple is good, especially when you can put all the ingredients for a comforting chicken soup in the slow cooker, shred the chicken and transfer the soup to glass containers – you can even pack them for lunch. Pearl barley is rich beta-glucansa special type of starch that helps reduce cholesterol, and barley has also been shown provide a feeling of satiety.

Active time: 20 minutes Total time: 5 hours, 20 minutes

 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cups (960 g) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• ¼ cup (50 g) pearl barley, dry
• 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast, raw
• ¼ cup (15 g) Italian parsley, chopped
• ½ lemon, squeezed

Instructions

Place stock, onion, carrot, barley, rosemary and bay leaf in a large slow cooker, stir to combine. Place the chicken breast on top and cover the pot tightly. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours, or until chicken shreds easily and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Uncover, then use tongs to place the chicken on a plate. Allow to cool slightly, then shred the meat with two forks. Return the chicken to the pan and add the parsley and the juice of ½ a lemon, stir and serve.

Servings: 4 | Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 250; Total fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Monounsaturated fats: 2g; Cholesterol: 83 mg; Sodium: 139 mg; Carbohydrates: 20g; Dietary fiber: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Proteins: 32g

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