Barley & Rice Spiced Soup

Hi everyone! Today I am making a fast and easy soup to warm up our tummies as the days get colder in December. This soup is wholesome, a little spicy and filled with delicious meats. It also promise to keep you full throughout the day as it is filled with tender barley and rice. So let's prep some ingredients, throw them in the pot and get cooking!

Ingredients:

2 cups of diced chicken thigh or breast

1 spicy smoked sausage, sliced

1 cup of chopped celery

1 cup of diced carrots

1 cup of diced red bell peppers

1 cup of diced white onion

1/4 cup of finely chopped garlic

1 carton of chicken stock

1 can of diced tomato (original or jalapeno)

2/3 cup to 1 cup of Quick barley

1/2 cup of white jasmine rice

1/2 cup of frozen corn

Cooking Oil of your choice

Start by heating a large pot or a stew Dutch oven on high with 1/4 cup of cooking oil. Preheat until the oil is hot but not smoking.

Add in your raw chicken and cook completely.

Add in you peppers, onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Next, add in your sliced sausages and continue cooking.

Pour in your canned tomatoes and chicken stock.

Spiced Ingredients:

2 tablespoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1/2 teaspoon of msg* (*optional)

Add in your spices into the soup and let it boil gently.

Next, pour in your barley and rice and stir.

Let it cook covered with a lid, for 20 minutes on medium heat.

If soup starts to thicken and has little liquid inside, add in 1-2 cups of water and stir.

The soup is ready once the rice and barley are tender.

Serve hot.

You are welcome to garnish your soup with some chopped parsley or cilantro. And complete!