Chicken Barley Soup

I've already made a couple of new things this year that I'm exited to post. First is this soup. I had never cooked with barley before making this. It's just something that is not in my normal diet, but I do like the taste. I decided to try this recipe because it's easy and pretty much chicken noodle soup, but with barley instead of noodles. It's very versatile too because you can add whatever veggies you want. I used frozen corn, carrots, and peas. Rotisserie chicken would give the soup the most flavor, but I just used some cubed leftover chicken and a little shredded chicken from my freezer. I ate some of this the next day for lunch, and it needed a little extra liquid so added some water. I'm glad to have a new and healthy soup in my collection. :)

Chicken Barley Soup
adapted from grit.com
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cans (14 1/2oz each) chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup quick cooking barley
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups frozen vegetables
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, optional

In large pot, combine chicken, onion, celery, broth, water, barley and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Yields 4-6 servings.