Quick Chicken and Barley Stew

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 3 bacon slices
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 cup 1/4 inch thick diagonally cut carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 cup 1/4 inch thick diagonally cut celery ( about 3 stalks)
• 1 tbs garlic cloves, minced (about 3 garlic cloves)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked quick cooking barley
• 1 (8oz) pkg baby spinach
• 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium until crisp, about 6 minutes, turning once. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon and set aside. 2. Add olive oil to drippings in Dutch oven, increase heat to medium-high. Add yellow onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, kosher salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minutes. 3. Add chicken and broth to Dutch oven. Cook on medium high until broth begins to boil, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in barley and cook until chicken is cooked through and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reads 168°F, about 8-10 minutes more. Remove chicken, shred into large pieces and return to Dutch oven. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley, top each serving with crumbled bacon.