Chicken Barley Chili
This was a BIG weekend for Gene and me! We got together with a group of folks who were our very first friends after we got married! Wait. Let’s back this thing up a bit!
Gene and I got married one weekend (in 1989), my very new husband flew to Germany the following weekend to report to his new base, and then I followed several weeks later after I got my military ID, passport, and travel orders. God blessed us with a wonderful church there, and we got especially close to some people from our Sunday School class. We spent a lot of time in each others’ homes and enjoyed traveling together sometimes too.
We had several years together there, then we scattered all over the world, quite literally.
Now fast forward to this weekend. Five of those couples from way back then met up at Tybee Island for a friends’ reunion, and we were all SO excited! We hadn’t seen each other for over 20 years! We picked back up right where we left off! (There’s just something special about military friends who are also brothers and sisters in Christ!)
You all KNOW what was required for this weekend, right? FOOD! And lots of it! Lots of junk food, of course, but I knew some of us would want a healthier option at some point. Since I live close by, I cooked a big pot of soup ahead of time for us to have for lunch one day. I suspected the other men would be like Gene, preferring a thick, hearty soup over a broth-y soup. (But probably preferring pizza instead, if we’re being honest!)
May I introduce to you Chicken Barley Chili! This stuff is incredibly easy to make, and it’s delicious! I found this recipe on the back of a box of Quaker Barley years ago, and I’m still making it. (And the recipe is STILL on the back of the box!) Here is the recipe, from Quaker’s website. The barley takes a little while to cook, but it’s worth it. I love the chew of barley! Other than that, you’re mainly just opening a jar of salsa, a couple of cans of veggies, and a can of beans. All stuff you probably have on hand anyway.
Notes: If you use “quick barley” your cooking time drops to about 20 minutes instead of 40. If you can’t find the boxed barley in the soup section of your grocery store, look for a bag of barley near the dried beans.
I usually (always!) double the recipe so I can freeze some portions of it for quick meals later.
This is a favorite of mine, and I hope you’ll like it too. It’s super healthy AND filling AND yummy! That works for me!
This is Day 3 of my Write 31 Days Challenge. To see the full list of posts in this series, click here. Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!
12 thoughts on “Chicken Barley Chili”
TOO FUNNY!!! I made Beef barley soup for church two weeks ago! It was such a hit! No leftovers! I’ve never made it with chicken before! Pinning!
~Sheila
Making the Most of Every Day
I really like both recipes on the box. One is for this chicken barley chili, and the other is for a beef veggie barley soup. It’s fun when your dish at a church dinner is a hit, isn’t it!
Yes, it is! And mine didn’t even come out very soupy. I finished cooking it, put the lid on and left. When I arrived, all the liquid had been absorbed so it was more like a beef barley hash but it was a hit and people raved about it!
It sounds (and looks) delicious! I love to make a variety of soups or stews (or chili… is chili a type of stew? I think it is) throughout the winter and have them simmering in the crock pot. I’ll have to give this one a try this winter. Thanks for sharing.
I consider chili to be a stew/soup/something! Try it and let me know what you think!
I lump chili in the soup/stew category too!
Rats! Commented then something happened. This chili looks scrumptious. I forget to buy/add barley but I love it. Pinning this recipe for this winter. Glad you enjoyed a weekend with your friends.
I’m glad it was still good even without a key ingredient! You’ll have to try again WITH the barley and see what you think!
Oh that sounds yummy!! I am always looking for a yummy E meal!
IKR! This is a GOOD one! Let me know if you make it and how you like it!