Provencal Chicken and Barley Soup/stew

Ingredients

1/3 cup dry barley or 1 cup of cooked barley
4 to 6 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breast, cubed into 1 inch pieces (or use chickpeas as a vegetarian alternative)
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley or dill
1/4 teaspoon herbs de Provence
Salt & pepper to taste

Serves 2-4.

Prep & cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes or 30 minutes if using cooking barley.

Cook barley in water until well done, about 60 minutes. Drain and set aside. If using already cooked barley rinse under warm water and set aside. Heat a medium/large pot on a medium to medium high heat, add olive oil and chicken (or chickpeas) and saute until chicken is browned, 5-6 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add barley and stock, stir and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add herbs de Provence and salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more stock to the desired consistency. Add parsley or dill and olives, if using. Serve warm.