Garlicky Barley Vegetable Chicken Soup for One or Two

Warm up with a soothing bowl of Garlicky Barley Vegetable Chicken Soup for One or Two, a comforting and wholesome recipe perfect for smaller servings. This hearty soup is brimming with tender pearl barley, nourishing vegetables like carrots, celery, and spinach, and shredded cooked chicken—all infused with the rich aroma of garlic, thyme, and a hint of citrusy brightness from optional fresh lemon juice. Ready in just 50 minutes, this one-pot meal strikes the perfect balance between earthy, savory flavors and light, refreshing notes. Whether you’re making a cozy solo dinner or a meal for two, this soup is ideal for chilly evenings or when you're craving a feel-good dish with minimal effort. Keywords: garlicky chicken soup, barley vegetable soup, small batch chicken soup, homemade chicken barley soup.

Nutriscore Rating: 72/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:35 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
• 0.5 medium Yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium Carrot, diced
• 1 Celery stalk, diced
• 1 cup Cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 0.33 cup Pearl barley, rinsed
• 4 cups Chicken broth
• 1 Bay leaf
• 0.5 teaspoons Fresh thyme or dried thyme
• 1 handful Baby spinach (optional)
• 0 to taste Salt
• 0 to taste Black pepper
• 1 Lemon wedge (optional, for serving)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2

Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

Step 3

Stir in the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.

Step 4

Add the shredded or diced cooked chicken, rinsed pearl barley, chicken broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir to combine.

Step 5

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Step 6

If using baby spinach, stir it into the soup during the last 2 minutes of cooking until just wilted.

Step 7

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

Step 8

Serve hot with an optional squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, fresh flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1534.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	757.0

Total Fat 23.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 4.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3g
Cholesterol 202.8mg	0%
Sodium 4898.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 41.6g	0%
Dietary Fiber 8.4g	0%
Total Sugars 8.9g
Protein 90.4g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 244.2mg	0%
Iron 8.2mg	0%
Potassium 2238.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 28.6%

Protein: 48.9%

Carbs: 22.5%