Homemade chicken soup is one of my family’s favorites, and I try to make the soup hearty (like a stew) so it passes muster as a dinner entree, especially on cold nights.
I don’t always have time for the full-blown, from scratch soup, which takes hours to make, strain and cool properly, so I came up with a somewhat quicker version that uses store-bought broth and is enriched with dill, barley and aromatic vegetables.
Dilled Chicken Soup Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
Kosher salt
8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, cut into ½ -inch cubes
3 medium carrots, scrubbed well and cut into ¾ -inch pieces
2 medium ribs celery, cut into ¾ -inch pieces
6 large sprigs dill, PLUS ¼ cup chopped dill, for garnish
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
Ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
¾ cup uncooked pearl barley
Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat; reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften.
Stir in the mushrooms; cook for about 4 minutes, then add the carrots, celery, dill sprigs and 5 cups of the broth. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken breast halves in the broth, bone side up.
The broth should just cover the chicken; if it doesn’t, add some or all of the remaining broth as needed. Poach the chicken, uncovered, until it is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes; reduce the heat as needed so the liquid does not boil. Timing will depend on the thickness of the breast halves. Use tongs to transfer chicken to a plate to cool. Stir the barley into the soup; increase the heat to medium high. Once the broth comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a low boil. Partially cover and cook until the barley is tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
When the chicken is cool to the touch, pull the meat off the bone; discard the bones and any visible fat. Tear the meat into large chunks of 2 inches or so.
Once the barley is tender, discard the dill sprigs. Return the chicken to the pot; add the remaining chopped dill, stirring to combine.
Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Food, Pages 37 on 02/19/2014