Spiced-Up Healthy Soup

By joanmarie

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup medium pearl barley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 8 cups chopped fresh spinach

Details

Servings 14
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 55mins

Preparation

Step 1

In a Dutch oven, saute onion and barley in oil until onion is tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, chicken and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add the picante sauce, garbanzo beans and cilantro to soup; cover and simmer 10 minutes longer or until barley and lentils are tender.
Shred chicken with two forks. Add spinach and chicken to soup. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Yield: 14 servings (3-1/2 quarts).