CHICKEN, VEGETABLE, AND BARLEY SOUP

Chicken, Vegetable, and Barley Soup image

Yield Serves 4; 1 1/2 cups per serving

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 cup water and 2 cups water, divided use
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow summer squash, chopped
2 ounces spinach (about 2 cups), coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the barley. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Drain and rinse in a colander. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together the chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the remaining soup in the pan. Set the chicken aside.
Stir the tomatoes with liquid, zucchini, and yellow squash into the soup. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, or until the zucchini and yellow squash are tender. Meanwhile, dice the chicken. When the squashes are tender, stir the chicken, barley, and spinach into the soup. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice.
Nutrition Information
(Per serving)
Calories: 219
Total fat: 1.5g
Saturated: 0.5g
Trans: 0.0g
Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
Monounsaturated: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Sodium: 253mg
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 30g
Calcium: 69mg
Potassium: 804mg
Dietary Exchanges
1/2 starch
2 vegetable
3 very lean meat