Lunch: Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup Recipe

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Barley, Chicken Breast

Health and fertility benefits of Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup Recipe

Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley. Skinless chicken breast is an excellent source of the protein, as its contains 21 grams of protein for every 100 grams of breast. Additionally, chicken contains ample amounts of vitamin B6, which serves a vital function in helping to reduce the stressors that cause PCOS. Vitamin B6 help keeps your hormones at balanced levels, which is very helpful for those seeking to stem the flow of excessive testosterone and androgen

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups chopped leeks (white portion only)
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2-1/4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

Instructions

In a Dutch oven, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, saute the leeks, celery and carrot in remaining oil for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the broth, water, seasonings and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in barley and return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Add a review for Vegetable Chicken Barley Soup Recipe