Quick Chicken and Barley Stew

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 3 bacon slices
• 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced (about 3 garlic cloves)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
• 1 (8-oz.) package baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Calories 469
• Protein 51g
• Carbohydrate 41g
• Fiber 7g
• Fat 12g
• Calories 469
• Protein 51g
• Carbohydrate 41g
• Fiber 7g
• Fat 12g

Details

Adapted from southernliving.com

Preparation

Step 1

Step 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.

Step 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 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, kosher salt, and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add chicken and broth to Dutch oven. Cook on medium-high until broth begins to boil, about 2 to 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 165°F, about 8 to 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.