Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, divided
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large bone-in chicken breast (10-12 ounces), skin removed, trimmed
• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup trimmed and diagonally sliced asparagus (1/4 inch thick)
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 strip orange zest (1/2 by 2 inches)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Grate or finely chop 1 clove garlic; add to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add broth, chicken and barley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon. Return the broth to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken or cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bone.
5. When the barley is done, add the chicken, tomatoes and juice, asparagus, peas, salt and a grinding of pepper; return to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.
6. Coarsely chop the remaining garlic clove. Gather basil, orange zest and the garlic and finely chop together. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with a generous pinch of the basil mixture.

Tips

To Make Ahead: Prepare through Step 3, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat the soup, thin with broth if desired and finish with Step 4 just before serving. Per serving: 254 calories; 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 3 g mono unsaturated fat); 32 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 7 g fiber; 1235 mg sodium; 711 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Vitamin A (30% dv), Iron (15% dv). Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat Contributed by: EatingWell.com