Barley Baby!

There's just something SO delicious about barley—especially when you're craving something warm, comforting, and filling. If those cold north winds are giving you the chills, my braised chicken and barley soup is sure to heat you up in a jiffy. Serve it over garlicky mashed potatoes—along with a glass of your favorite red wine— and you'll be toasty warm for the rest of the night.

Braised Chicken and Barley Soup

It's hard to even call this a soup because it's so thick and rich. If you like soupier soup, cut the amount of barley in half. 

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a enameled cast iron roaster or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, coat 4 chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a splash of sherry vinegar. Place the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down. Cook the chicken until it is mahogany brown (the darker brown you get it, the richer it will taste) on both sides, flipping it once or twice, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan; cover with foil to keep warm.

2. Drain about half of the oil from the pan and discard. In the remaining oil, place about 2 ounces of finely chopped pancetta. Cook over medium heat until just starting to brown, stirring occasionally. Add 2 stalks celery (sliced), 1 small onion (chopped), 1 clove garlic (minced), 3 carrots (sliced), 1 bay leaf, and 1 sprig fresh thyme. Cook and stir until onion is almost translucent. Add 1/4 cup sherry wine to the pan; cook for 2 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken stalk and the chicken thighs to the pan. Bring to a boil. Cover pan and place in the oven. 

3. Also in the oven, place 4 or 5 russet potatoes (just set them on the racks) and a foil packet of 2 unpeeled cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a splash of olive oil. Bake everything for about 40 minutes.

4. Remove the soup from the oven. Remove the chicken from the soup; set aside to cool a bit. Stir 1 cup of pearled barley into the soup and return it to the oven for another 40 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven; cool. Check the potatoes for doneness (if they are soft to the touch, they're done). When they are done, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool a bit. 

5. Remove the meat from the chicken and discard skin, bones, and any other gross stuff (this is my adorable dog Phyllo's favorite part because he really enjoys eating the gross stuff). Shred meat and set aside in a covered bowl near the oven to keep warm. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, chop them and place them in an oven-going serving dish. Squeeze the cloves of garlic from the peel and add to the potatoes. Add 1/4 cup softened butter, 1 cup milk (preferably at room temperature), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (this really pumps up the garlic flavor). Mash with a potato masher, adding additional milk, if necessary. Cover and keep warm.

6. After the second 40 minutes of cooking, remove the soup from the oven. (Turn oven off and place the potatoes in there to keep them hot while finishing the soup.) To the soup, add the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and 2 tomatoes (chopped). Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve the soup over the mashed potatoes.