Chicken and Pearl Barley Stew

Serves	6
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	10 hours, 45 minutes
Total time	11 hours
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Halloween
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

Ingredients

4 skinless and boned chicken breasts (diced into 2.5cm/1)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 onions, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, trimmed and diced
2 slender leeks, washed, trimmed and diced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
150mls red wine
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 chicken stock cube made up to 600mls with boiling water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
115g pearl barley
Salt and pepper to taste

Note

Comfort food at its best, this Chicken and Pearl Barley Stew hits the spot for wintry days, and is perfect as a mid-week family supper - plus it's healthy too, with only 7 Smart Points in a bowl for those in the Weight Watchers diet, or 9 Pro Points.

Directions

Step 1	Slow cooker method: Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and set to high, cook for 6 hours or on auto for up to 10 hours.
Step 2	Pressure cooker method: Place all the ingredients into the pressure cooker and set the programme for chicken stew, if using a Fast, Slow, Pro, bring it up to pressure and cook on high for 30 minutes - or for 45 minutes if using a normal pressure cooker. Release the pressure slowly on completion.
Step 3	Stove top method: Spray a large saucepan with some low-fat oil spray and sauté the chicken pieces all over until they are golden brown. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, leeks and turnips, add a little of the chicken stock, and sweat the vegetables for 15 minutes with the lid on the pan.
Step 4	Add the remaining ingredients, replace the lid and simmer for a further 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Step 5	Serve in warmed bowls with crusty bread.