Chicken and Parsnip Stew with Leeks and Barley
This is a cozy, creamy pottage, somewhere between a soup and a stew and offers instant comfort. Use the leftover meat and homemade stock from a roast chicken, or cook it with fresh cuts. It is unpretentious and is the ultimate in comfort cooking for body & soul health.
Servings: 8 servings
Cost: $10
Equipment
- 1 6 qt or larger Dutch oven (enamel pot) or large soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 12 ounces leeks, chopped already trimmed and rinsed
- 12 ounces parsnips, rustically chopped no need to peel if you have washed them well
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 16 ounces shredded or chopped chicken previously cooked
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 8 cups hot chicken broth
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo or paprika pepper OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Tip the prepared vegetables into a heavy-based soup pot or Dutch oven with a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté over high heat for 5 minutes. (This is mostly for color on the vegetables.)
- Add a dash of salt and pepper, and sauté until they begin to look glossy, but still crunchy. (Don't worry-- They will cook to fork-tender during simmering.)For an optional hint of warmth, you can add a pinch of crushed Aleppo pepper or smoked paprika pepper.
- Add the Dijon mustard and stir to combine. Then add chicken, barley, and chicken broth.
- Bring all the contents up to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer with the lid on. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the barley is cooked. (Tip- barley does not cook completely to mush like overcooked pasta. Instead, it will remain pleasantly chewy.)
- Serve while warm, but not too hot. Sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley for an herby pop of color.
Notes
Protein Choice: You can roast a whole chicken for a meal the day before, and then shred the leftover pieces in preparation for this meal. If you choose to do so, then you should definitely consider making your own collagen-rich bone broth from the remnants of the skin, gelatin juices, and bones. However, nobody will judge you at all should you decide to fry off a flat of chicken thighs instead. The only recommendations I must insist upon are these: First, do not use the crackling (crispy skin) in the soup after frying them. For this once, it's more satisfying to leave the fat out of the soup for cleaner flavors. Secondly, I really do recommend using dark meat or a mixture of dark and light meat rather than just light meat from only chicken breast. It will add richness without heaviness to this comforting one-pot meal.
Storage: Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. To enjoy, thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.