Spicy Chicken Barley Soup With Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"In 'In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite' by Melissa Clark"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 44.37 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, chopped
• 4.92 ml kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2.46 ml sweet paprika
• 1.23 ml ground cinnamon
• 1.23 ml chili powder
• 1.23 ml ground coriander
• 1.23 ml fresh ground black pepper
• cayenne, a pinch
• 14.79 ml tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1419.54 ml low sodium chicken broth
• 236.59 ml pearl barley, rinsed well
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 340.19 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (or thigh)
• 141.74 g Baby Spinach
• 118.29 ml chopped fresh cilantro or 118.29 ml mint
• 14.79 ml fresh lemon juice
• lemon wedge, for serving

directions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over high heat.
2. Add the onion and salt and saute until limp, about 3 minutes.
3. Add all the spices and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute, until darkened but not burned (if the tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower the heat).
5. Add the garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute longer.
6. Return the heat to high if you lowered it, then add the broth, 2 cups water, and the barley to the pot.
7. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Add the sweet potato and continue to cook until the barley and sweet potato are soft, about 30 minutes to an hour more, adding more water to the pot if necessary (it should not get too thick).
9. Add the chicken, partially cover the pot, lower the heat to med-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Add the spinach and cilantro to the pot and continue simmering until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes longer.
11. Stir in the lemon juice and more salt if desired.
12. Serve garnished cilantro and lemon wedges.