Chicken Barley Stoup

I found the original recipe for this "stew" in our local newspaper a few weeks ago. I've made so many changes to it, that I've decided not to print the original recipe, instead I'm sharing my own recipe.

I call it a "stoup" because it is thicker than a soup, yet thinner that a stew. It's smells wonderful while it's cooking. There's a lot of ingredients and each one helps to make the stoup delicious.

The recipe calls for giardiniera - aka: Italian pickled vegetables. (here's an example) You can find it with the other pickled veggies and relishes in your stores. Until this recipe, I had never even heard of this product, although I've eaten other pickled vegetables before.

Like I said, the list of ingredients is pretty long but it's worth it.

Chicken Barley Stoup

2 carrots, diced pieces

3 potatoes, diced small (turnips would sub good)

1/3 C. olive oil
1/2 C. giardiniera, drained and diced into tiny pieces (reserve liquid)
3 C. of shredded rotissere chicken
1 lg. can of chicken broth
3/4 C. white wine
1 lg. can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice
1 C. quick cooking barley
1 tsp. Italian seasonings
3 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
shredded Parmesan cheese for topping
cooked rotini pasta (optional)

Add chicken broth, wine, 1/4 C of the reserved liquid from the giardiniera mix and tomatoes to a large pot over medium heat.

Peel and dice potatoes and carrots and add to pot. Continue cooking while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

In a large frying pan, add 1/3 C. olive oil. To the oil add the giardiniera, chicken, Italian seasonings, garlic and black pepper. Saute until lightly browned, adding a few TBSP of broth to the mix while browing. Once the mixture has browned, add all if it to the broth. Stir well.

Lower heat, partially cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking for 20 minutes.

Add the quick cooking barley and cook for an additional 12 - 14 minutes or until the barley is done.

Ladel into bowls (over rotini noodles, if desired) and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

**The 3 other members of my family feel that all soups must be served over pasta. My mood at dinnertime determines whether or not I add pasta to my dish. I didn't add any to this particular stoup because of the potatoes and barley in it. It was delicious.