Chicken and barley soup with cheesy flatbreads

Recipes / Soups

This hearty chicken soup is a fantastic low fat dinner option.

Recipe «Chicken and barley soup with cheesy flatbreads» presented in category Recipes / Soups, to prepare this dish you will need no more 55 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author sheff would need: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large leek, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 3/4 cup pearl barley , 2 litres salt-reduced vegetable stock, 2 desiree potatoes, skins scrubbed, cut into 1cm pieces, 1/2 bunch silverbeet, stalks and veins removed, leaves shredded , 1 cup shredded skinless barbecue chicken, 2 wholemeal pita pockets, halved, 1/2 cup grated pizza cheese, Extra fresh thyme leaves, to serve.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 large leek, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced 
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste 
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley 
  • 2 litres salt-reduced vegetable stock 
  • 2 desiree potatoes, skins scrubbed, cut into 1cm pieces 
  • 1/2 bunch silverbeet, stalks and veins removed, leaves shredded 
  • 1 cup shredded skinless barbecue chicken 
  • 2 wholemeal pita pockets, halved 
  • 1/2 cup grated pizza cheese 
  • Extra fresh thyme leaves, to serve 

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add leek. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add thyme, barley and stock. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 40 minutes or until barley is just tender.
  2. Add potato. Simmer for a further 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from heat. Stir in silverbeet and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stand, covered, for 5 minutes or until silverbeet is just wilted.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat a sandwich press (see notes). Fill pita pocket halves with cheese. Press each pita for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is golden and crisp. Transfer to a board. Cut into wedges.
  4. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle with extra thyme. Serve with pita wedges.