Hearty Chicken & Pearl Barley Soup with Grilled Cheese Flatbreads

Discover the ultimate comforting chicken barley soup recipe , healthy dinner solution packed with tender pearl barley, vegetables, and rotisserie chicken. This easy one-pot soup pairs perfectly with crispy cheesy flatbreads for dipping. Ready in just over an hour with minimal prep, it’s ideal for busy weeknights, cold weather comfort food, and make-ahead meals (tastes even better next day!). Gluten-free adaptable and husband-approved.

Serves 4 | Active: 15 min | Total: 1 hour 10 min (includes resting)

Ingredients

Soup

• 30ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large leek (white/light green only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 32g (2 tbsp) tomato paste
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 165g (¾ cup) pearl barley, rinsed
• 2L (8 cups) low-sodium vegetable stock
• 400g Desiree potatoes, scrubbed, 1cm dice
• 150g silverbeet (Swiss chard) leaves, stems removed, chiffonade-cut
• 250g (1½ cups) shredded skinless roast chicken

Flatbreads

• 2 wholemeal pita breads, halved crosswise
• 60g (⅔ cup) grated fontina/mozzarella blend or pizza cheese

Method

1. Build Soup Base
   Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek; sweat 4-5 minutes until translucent (do not brown). Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add thyme and barley; toast 30 seconds.
2. Simmer
   Pour in stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35 minutes until barley is al dente.
3. Cook Vegetables
   Add potatoes. Simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes until fork-tender.
4. Finish Soup
   Remove from heat. Fold in silverbeet and chicken. Cover; rest 5 minutes (residual heat wilts greens). Season to taste.
5. Prepare Flatbreads
   Preheat sandwich press/grill pan. Fill pita halves with cheese. Grill 2-3 minutes until golden crisp and cheese melts. Slice into wedges.
6. Plate
   Ladle soup into deep bowls. Garnish with thyme. Serve with flatbread wedges on the side.

Chef’s Notes

• Ingredient Quality: Use homemade stock for depth; rotisserie chicken adds savory notes
• Barley Tip: Rinse well to remove excess starch for clearer broth
• Silverbeet Sub: Kale or spinach (add spinach just before resting)
• Flavor Boost: Deglaze leeks with 60ml white wine before adding tomato paste
• Texture Control: For thicker soup, mash ¼ of potatoes before adding greens
• Flatbread Upgrade: Brush pitas with garlic-infused oil before grilling

Storage: Soup improves overnight. Refrigerate up to 3 days (add splash of stock when reheating). Flatbreads best fresh.