Easy Chicken Leek and Barley Stew is a hearty and comforting dish. A classic one-pot casserole that takes only 10 minutes to prepare, then either pop it into your slow cooker or into the oven to cook.
How to make Easy Chicken, Leek and Barley Stew
This one-pot recipe is really very simple to make. I make it in my slow cooker, but I have also made it in the oven with excellent results.
All quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this page.
The ingredients
- leek
- carrots
- mushrooms
- pearl barley
- stock
- tomato puree
- oil
- parsley
- thyme
I don’t have any leeks, what else can I use?
Use onions instread of leeks, the taste will be slightly different but the stew will still be good.
I don’t have any tomato puree, what else can I use?
I use tomato puree to add depth and flavour to the stew. If you don’t have any then use tomato ketchup or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. A generous spoonful of a tasty chutney is also a great way to add flavour to a stew.
What is Pearl Barley?
Pearl barley, is whole grain barley that has been processed to remove its outer hull and polished to remove some or all of the bran layer. You can also by pot barley which retains the outer layer. Either of these is suitable for this stew. Pot Barley is a little chewier.
Prepare the barley (oven method)
To cook this recipe in the oven you need to prepare the barley. cover with cold water then bring to the boil, drain and rinse. Cover with more water and boil for 20 mintues, then drain.
Prepare the barley (slow cooker method)
Rinse the barley in a sieve, no pre-cooking is required.
The chicken
Use chicken thighs, drumsticks or chicken quarters because these are robust and will stand longer cooking better.
TIP: For best value buy a whole chicken and cut it into pieces. Use the breast for another recipe and the leg meat for a long-cooked stew.
Brown the chicken
Heat a little oil in a large skillet or frying pan and brown the chicken pieces in order to caramelise the skin and release the natural sugars in the meat. When the chicken is brown, remove to a plate.
Saute the vegetables
Turn down the heat and add the sliced leek, saute for a couple of mintues then add the carrots and mushrooms. Cook for another minute then put in the casserole dish or slow cooker pan.
The stock
Use homemade chicken stock if you have it but you can use stock cubes, powder, stock pots or ready-made liquid stock. Mix the tomato puree into the stock so it is well distributed throughout the dish.
NOTE: You will need 600 ml of stock for the oven method and only 400 ml of stock for the slow cooker. This is because less liquid evaporates in a slow cooker than in a conventional oven.
To thicken the stock add chicken gravy granules or 2 teaspoons of cornflour (conrstarch) mixed with a little cold water.
Layer the ingredients
Place the vegetables in the base of the casserole dish or slow cooker pot. Add the barley and the stock then arrange the chicken pieces on top.
The barley absorbs the stock and takes on all the flavour of the ingredients. I’ts soft, filling and really delicious.
Serving Suggestion
Serve Chicken Leek and Barley Stew just as it is garnished with fresh chopped parsley. Or add a side dish of a green leafy vegetable such as cabbage.
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- Slightly Spicy Nice and Saucy Chicken and Pepper Casserole – A Glug of Oil
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Easy Chicken, Leek and Barley Stew
Ingredients
- 25 grams (¼ cups) pearl barley
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) carrots peeled and thickly sliced
- 1 medium (1 medium) leek trimmed rinsed and sliced.
- 100 grams (¾ cups) closed-cap mushrooms wiped clean
- 500 grams (1 pounds) chicken leg quarters
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) chicken gravy granules Or 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 600 millilitres (1 pt) hot chicken stock Or 400 ml if cooking in slow cooker
- 10 grams (1 tbsp) fresh thyme
- 25 grams (¼ cups) fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish
Instructions
For Oven Method
- Place the pearl barley in a large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to the boil; drain; rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Return the pearl barley to the pan; cover with fresh water. Gently simmer for 20 minutes then drain.
- Preheat oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas Mark 3.
- Whilst the barley is simmering, heat 1tbsp oil in a saute or frying pan. Add the chicken quarters; fry for 8 mins, turning once until golden all over. Transfer to a plate.
- Add more oil to the pan if required, add the leeks, carrots, and mushrooms and saute for 4-5 mins until browned. Transfer to a casserole dish using a slotted spoon.
- Dissolve the gravy granules in the stock and stir in the tomato puree. If using cornflour rather than gravy granules, then mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water then stir into the stock.
- Place the barley over the vegetables then arrange the chicken pieces on top. Pour over the stock, add the thyme and season with salt & pepper.
- Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
For Slow Cooker Method
- Rinse the pearl barley under running water
- Heat 1tbsp oil in a saute or frying pan. Add the chicken quarters; fry for 8 mins, turning once until golden all over. Transfer to a plate.
- Add more oil to the pan if required, add the leeks, carrots, and mushrooms and saute for 4-5 mins until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker pot using a slotted spoon.
- Dissolve the gravy granules in the 400 ml stock and stir in the tomato puree. If using cornflour rather than gravy granules, then mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water then stir into the stock.
- Place the barley over the vegetables then arrange the chicken pieces on top. Pour over the stock, add the thyme and season with salt & pepper.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Anonymous says
hi, you say have a lot of bella cookbook magazines, do you happen to have one with a chocolate cake recipe in it.It is made with a lot of chocolate and also cream in the mixture.I have lost my recipe
Chloe Edges says
Looks great. I’ve had a bag of pearl barley for years and never actually used it!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, I love how the barley soaks up all the stock and juices it’s so tasty.
Asiafan says
Tried the slow cooker version and it worked great with chicken breast cubes and celery instead of leeks, and the celery added a nice crunch. I also did not pre-pan fry anything because I didn’t have the time, and it still came out tasty. Since I couldn’t pre-fry, I added a can of cream of chicken soup for extra flavor and to make it go farther, and a splash of olive oil and lemon at the end for some pop.
Janice Pattie says
I’m glad you enjoyed it and were able to adapt the recipe to your needs.