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Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth | DadTheFoodie

Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth recipe photograph

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bacon for 3–4 minutes until it has released some fat and is lightly coloured. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
Add the chicken to the frying pan and brown it in batches for 2–3 minutes per side. It does not need to be cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
Add the onion, carrots, leeks, celery and garlic to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well so the vegetables and chicken are lightly coated.
Stir in the rinsed pearl barley, hot chicken stock, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. Make sure the barley is submerged in the liquid.
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the chicken is tender and the barley is cooked. Do not lift the lid repeatedly during cooking.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas, cover again and cook for 10 minutes, until the peas are hot and tender.
Stir through the parsley and cider vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve the broth in warmed bowls.

Equipment needed

Recommended slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5 litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Swaps and substitutions

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs → 700 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Use thawed chicken and check that it is fully cooked and tender before serving; breast meat can be less moist.
Pearl barley → 120 g brown rice
Add the rice for the final 2 hours of cooking rather than at the beginning, as it cooks more quickly.
Smoked streaky bacon → 150 g unsmoked bacon or vegetarian bacon-style pieces
The finished broth will have a milder smoky flavour.
Frozen peas → 150 g frozen sweetcorn or chopped green beans
Add either substitute for the final 10–15 minutes.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes
Batch cooking: Suitable for batch cooking
Storage: Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pearl barley will absorb more liquid as it stands, so add a splash of water or stock before reheating if needed. Defrost: Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. Add extra water or stock because the barley will thicken the broth as it defrosts.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring often, until piping hot throughout. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring halfway through. Only reheat once.
Leftover ideas: Serve smaller portions with crusty bread, or loosen with extra stock and add a handful of shredded cooked greens for a second meal.

Allergen information

Contains gluten from pearl barley and celery from the stock and fresh celery. Check stock-cube and bacon labels for other allergens.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

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Recipe info

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 420 min
Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
150 g smoked streaky bacon, snipped into small pieces
600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
120 g pearl barley, rinsed
1.2 litres hot chicken stock, made with a reduced-salt stock cube if preferred
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon plain flour
150 g frozen peas
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Chicken, Soup, Pearl barley, Family meals, One-pot meals, Batch cooking

Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth

Name: Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 440 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil; 150 g smoked streaky bacon, snipped into small pieces; 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-sized pieces; 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped; 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced; 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced; 2 sticks celery, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 120 g pearl barley, rinsed; 1.2 litres hot chicken stock, made with a reduced-salt stock cube if preferred; 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 tablespoon plain flour; 150 g frozen peas; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

This comforting slow cooker broth combines tender chicken thighs, smoky bacon, pearl barley, leeks and carrots in a savoury stock. It is a filling one-pot family meal with a simple parsley finish and no complicated preparation.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hr 20 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5 litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
150 g smoked streaky bacon, snipped into small pieces
600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-sized pieces
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
120 g pearl barley, rinsed
1.2 litres hot chicken stock, made with a reduced-salt stock cube if preferred
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon plain flour
150 g frozen peas
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Substitutions

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs → 700 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Use thawed chicken and check that it is fully cooked and tender before serving; breast meat can be less moist.)
Pearl barley → 120 g brown rice (Add the rice for the final 2 hours of cooking rather than at the beginning, as it cooks more quickly.)
Smoked streaky bacon → 150 g unsmoked bacon or vegetarian bacon-style pieces (The finished broth will have a milder smoky flavour.)
Frozen peas → 150 g frozen sweetcorn or chopped green beans (Add either substitute for the final 10–15 minutes.)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bacon for 3–4 minutes until it has released some fat and is lightly coloured. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
Add the chicken to the frying pan and brown it in batches for 2–3 minutes per side. It does not need to be cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
Add the onion, carrots, leeks, celery and garlic to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well so the vegetables and chicken are lightly coated.
Stir in the rinsed pearl barley, hot chicken stock, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. Make sure the barley is submerged in the liquid.
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the chicken is tender and the barley is cooked. Do not lift the lid repeatedly during cooking.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas, cover again and cook for 10 minutes, until the peas are hot and tender.
Stir through the parsley and cider vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve the broth in warmed bowls.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pearl barley will absorb more liquid as it stands, so add a splash of water or stock before reheating if needed. Defrost: Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. Add extra water or stock because the barley will thicken the broth as it defrosts.

Reheat gently in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring often, until piping hot throughout. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring halfway through. Only reheat once.

Serve smaller portions with crusty bread, or loosen with extra stock and add a handful of shredded cooked greens for a second meal.

Allergen information

Contains gluten from pearl barley and celery from the stock and fresh celery. Check stock-cube and bacon labels for other allergens.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon and Pearl Barley Broth

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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