Description
Warm up with a comforting bowl of Crockpot Chicken and Barley Soup. This hearty and healthy soup is easy to make in a slow cooker, perfect for busy days. Packed with tender chicken, nutritious barley, and flavorful veggies, it’s a satisfying meal that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Optional:
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add Ingredients: Add the chicken, barley, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the crockpot. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and the barley is tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the soup.
- Add Greens: Stir in the spinach or kale, if using, and cook for another 10–15 minutes until wilted.
- Finish: Add lemon juice for brightness if desired. Remove bay leaf before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- This soup freezes well and is great for meal prep.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time—add it during the last hour of cooking.
- Adjust broth amount depending on desired thickness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
