Chicken Barley Soup (Low Cal)

This chicken barley soup earns its low-calorie label the honest way: by making the broth from scratch and removing every bit of fat before building the soup. The chicken simmers for 90 minutes to create a rich, flavorful broth, then gets chilled so the fat solidifies on top and lifts right off. What’s left is pure, clean chicken flavor with no grease.

Pearl barley gives the soup a satisfying chewiness and body that noodles or rice can’t match. As it simmers, the barley releases starch that naturally thickens the broth, giving it a slightly creamy consistency without adding any cream or butter.

A squeeze of lemon juice is the secret weapon here. It brightens the whole pot, cuts through the richness of the chicken, and makes the vegetables taste more vivid. Celery seed adds a warm, herbal note that deepens the celery flavor already in the broth.

Fresh green beans go in last and cook just 15 minutes so they stay snappy and green, not army-green and mushy.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill the broth until the fat fully solidifies. This takes a few hours or overnight. Skimming warm broth removes some fat, but chilling removes nearly all of it.
• Use the celery leaves in the initial simmer and the stalks in the second stage. Leaves add concentrated celery flavor to the broth; stalks add texture to the finished soup.
• Freeze extra broth and chicken in separate meal-sized portions. This recipe makes a big batch, so plan ahead.
• Don’t add the barley and vegetables at the same time as the initial chicken simmer. They’d overcook into mush during the 90-minute broth stage.

Variations

• Add diced potato or turnip along with the barley for a thicker, more filling soup.
• Stir in a handful of fresh dill at the end for a classic Eastern European flavor.
• Use bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole cut-up chicken for deeper, richer flavor.