Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Amazing blend of flavors that will literally make your taste buds come alive! These ingredients came together after I cleaned the refrigerator and tried to use vegetables on hand, but the result was a soup that I will definitely make again.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 2 quarts

Ingredients

• 3 -4  garlic cloves
• 1  leek
• 1⁄2 cup rosemary (I had a bit that we dried ourselves, seems to be more flavorful than the pre bottled type)
•  olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup white wine (I used Mirin)
• 3  quarts chicken broth (*I used Pacific Natural Foods Organic Free Range Chicken Broth which has added sea salt, evaporated )
• 1 1⁄2 lbs white button mushrooms
• 4  stalks celery
• 6 -7  sun-dried tomatoes
• 1⁄2 cup pearl barley
• 1 1⁄2 lbs chicken breasts
•  pepper (I used lavender pepper from pelindaba.com)

Directions

1. Mince garlic; slice leek longways then chop.
2. Place a standard dutch oven on the stovetop.
3. Add a splash of olive oil, garlic, leek, and rosemary and saute over medium high heat for several minutes.
4. Add white wine and stir gently for one minute.
5. Add chicken broth, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes and barley and increase heat slightly. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
6. Chop chicken into strips. Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan and brown chicken on both sides. While chicken is cooking, season with pepper.
7. Add chicken to soup mixture. Again bring mixture to a boil. After it reaches the boiling stage, reduce heat to simmer and partially cover.
8. Cook approximately 30 minutes (stirring occasionally) to insure chicken is cooked through.