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Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Soup

October 24, 2023 by Liz Leave a Comment

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This hearty, chunky slow cooker chicken and barley soup is so tasty and satisfying.

It’s cooked with pearl barley which adds a lovely chewy texture to the delicious broth. It’s also incredibly easy to make using the slow cooker.  

A photo of a bowl of slow cooker chicken and barley soup with a spoon and napkin

I love using the slow cooker for this kind of dish and there’s nothing like a homemade soup just like grandma used to make. 

Simply add everything to the pot and in a few hours you’ll have the best delicious and filling meal waiting for you. 

It’s great for a weeknight dinner or a lazy weekend meal.

This is also a fantastic recipe for batch cooking. Simply freeze in batches when finished.

People often think that making soup from scratch is difficult but it couldn’t be simpler. Give it a go this week!

Why You Should Cook This

  • Warming, delicious, filling comfort food
  • Easy to make
  • High in fibre and rich in vitamins and minerals
  • A good recipe if you’re following a Mediterranean diet
  • Great for batch cooking
  • Budget friendly

If you’re looking for more info on Mediterranean diet you’ll find some great info and recipes here:

How to Start the Mediterranean Diet

7 day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables

Variations

There are a number of ways you can switch up this recipe according to your taste. Here are some ideas to try:

  • Try adding spinach or kale towards the end of cooking for an extra nutrient boost
  • Experiment with different herbs such as rosemary or dill
  • You could spice it up if you wish by adding some paprika, cumin or curry powder
  • To make it vegetarian you need to replace the chicken with some beans instead. Cannellini beans would be lovely. Also use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock

Serve With

This tastes great served with a chunk of crusty wholemeal bread.

FAQs

Do you have to cook barley before putting it in soup?

No, there’s no need to pre-cook the barley. It will cook in the stock and soak up the flavour while thickening the soup a little. 

Is pearl barley good for you?

Barley is a healthy addition to your diet. It’s a great whole grain source of fibre, vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, B vitamins and calcium. It is also low on the glycaemic index meaning it will keep you full for longer.

Should I soak barley?

No, you do not need to soak the barley before adding it to the slow cooker. You should however give it a rinse in cold water.

Why use a slow cooker to make soup?

This way of cooking uses less energy and the long slow cooking method allows flavours to develop. It is also super convenient meaning you can go about your day without watching over a pot. 

Ingredients

A labelled photo of all the ingredients for slow cooker chicken and barley soup

Chicken thighs – boneless and skinless work very well in this dish

Onion

Leek

Celery

Carrot

Thyme – fresh sprigs have the best flavour but you could substitute with dried

Bay leaf 

Pearl barley – readily available in big supermarkets or whole food shops

Chicken stock – I use a stock cube but this would taste fantastic with homemade stock

Garlic

Parsley – fresh parsley is best but you could use dried

Salt and pepper – Soups need to be generously seasoned, but always remember to taste the soup and adjust the seasoning a little at a time to avoid over-seasoning

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Soup

first ingredients in the slow cooker
1
pearl barley being rinsed under a tap in a sieve
2
all the raw ingredients in a slow cooker
3
cooked ingredients after 6 hours in slow cooker
4
shredded chicken on a plate with two forks
5
a stick blender blending some of the soup
6
  1. Add ingredients to the slow cooker – Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker and add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
  2. Rinse the pearl barley in a sieve under cold water and then add it to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients – Add the crushed garlic and salt then pour in the chicken stock and stir.
  4. Slow Cook – Put the lid on the slow cooker pot and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours.
  5. Finish – Remove the bay leaf, thyme stalks and discard. Remove the chicken pieces and shred with two forks.
  6. Blend some of the soup – Using a stick blender, blend the soup for a few seconds to thicken the broth. You still want lots of chunky veg left so don’t overdo it.
  7. Return the chicken – add the chicken back into the soup along with the chopped parsley and stir.
  8. Adjust the seasoning – Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 
Finished slow cooker chicken and barley soup

Storage Instructions

Fridge

You can store any cooled leftovers in the fridge for 3 days. 

Freezer

Once cooled, you can freeze this in batches for up to 3 months. 

Reheat

If frozen, the soup needs to be defrosted thoroughly before reheating. 

To reheat from chilled or after defrosting, place in the microwave or heat on the hob and ensure it is piping hot before serving. 

So go ahead and try my tasty slow cooker chicken and barley soup! Let me know what you think of it in the comments.

What to serve with slow cooker chicken and barley soup

This soup is great served with these easy Garlic and Herb Flatbreads. Give them a try!

Slow cooker chicken and barley soup

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 hours hrs
Total Time 6 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course Drinks, lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine British, Mediterranean
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, washed and sliced
  • 2 sticks of celery, washed and diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 450 g chicken thighs skinless and boneless
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
  • 50 g pearl barley
  • 850 ml chicken stock
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Add ingredients to the slow cooker – place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker and add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, thyme sprigs and bay leaf
  • Rinse the pearl barley in a sieve under cold water and then add it to the slow cooker
  • Add the rest of the ingredients – add the crushed garlic, the salt and a good grind of pepper, then pour in the chicken stock and stir
  • Slow cook – put the lid on the slow cooker pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or high for 4 hours
  • Remove chicken and herbs – Remove the bay leaf and thyme stalks and discard. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate and shred with two forks.
  • Blend – using a stick blender, blend the soup for a few seconds to thicken the broth a little. You still want lots of chunky veg left so don't overdo it.
  • Finish – add the chicken back into the soup along with the chopped parsley and stir
  • Adjust the seasoning – taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if necessary before serving.
Keyword Chicken, Easy, family

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Mediterranean Diet, Recipes

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