Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Soup Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes on low or 4 hours 15 minutes on high

This Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Soup is a comforting and nutritious meal that requires minimal effort. Using a Crockpot, you can let the flavors meld together while you go about your day.

The recipe features tender chicken, hearty barley, and a variety of vegetables, making it a wholesome choice for any family dinner.

Hearty Chicken Barley Soup Made Easy

This soup combines chicken, barley, carrots, celery, and spices, resulting in a flavorful dish that simmers to perfection in your slow cooker. It takes about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, serving approximately 6 people.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients: Chop the vegetables and rinse the barley.
Combine Ingredients: In the slow cooker, add the chicken, barley, broth, water, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and barley is tender.

Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, shred it with two forks, and return it to the soup.
Serve: Discard the bay leaf, adjust seasoning if necessary, and ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.