Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Chicken Barley Soup 3.7 (245) 9 Reviews By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 28, 2020 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 25 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Warm up with a bowl of soup that's brimming with healthy grains and bright vegetables. Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 carrots, diced small 4 celery stalks, diced small 1 medium yellow onion, diced small 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch pieces Coarse salt and ground pepper 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 5 sprigs thyme 1 cup quick-cooking barley 5 ounces baby spinach (5 cups) Directions In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until chicken is opaque at edges, about 2 minutes. Add broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until barley is tender and chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Cook's Notes Quick-cooking barley has been hulled, steamed, and then dried, so it will become soft and plump in 10 minutes as it simmers in broth with chicken and aromatics. Print