Chicken Porcini Barley Stew

"Simple hearty – soul in a bowl – full of savoury notes and great texture – so good for you – you will love it."

Ingredients

Serves 4

40g dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms

2 Tbsp olive oil

500g chicken thigh fillet, cut into strips

2 onions, halved, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup (200g)pearl barley

3 cups (750ml) salt-reduced chicken stock

Salt and pepper to season

2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve

Method

Cover dried mushrooms in boiling water and soak for 5 mins, until softened.

Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large pot on high. Cook chicken in batches for 2-3 mins, until browned. Remove from pot and set aside. Heat remaining oil in same pot on medium-high. Cook onion for 3 mins, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 min, until fragrant.

Return chicken to the pot. Add barley, stock, porcini and soaking liquid. Bring to the boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25-30 mins, until barley is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter over parsley, ladle into bowls and serve with salad.

Cooks Tip: Porcini is a wild mushroom variety used in Italian cooking. Dried porcini are available from Delis and gourmet food shops.

We used Shiitake mushrooms.

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