Diane Morrisey’s Chicken and Barley Soup with Lemon and Dill

This soup is light and bright and oh-so-comforting. It’s loaded with the perfect balance of tender chunks of chicken, hearty barley and vegetables in a flavorful broth that is completely awakened by the addition of lemon and dill at the end. There is an old Italian cooking trick that I put to use here — save the rinds from your Parmigiano-Reggiano (it only works with authentic cheese, not American or others) and add them to soup for an extra layer of flavor and umami. Serve the soup up with some crusty bread and a side salad, and you have a cozy meal that will warm you from the inside out. —Diane Morrisey

Chicken and Barley Soup with Lemon and Dill

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 carrots, cut into ½-inch lengths

3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch slices

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 ½ cups pearled barley

8 cups canned chicken broth

1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional), about 6 inches long

3 fresh thyme sprigs

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon

¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Directions

In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken begins to brown, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the drippings in the saucepan.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the saucepan and let it heat. Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the barley and cook until the barley starts to toast, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken and any juices to the saucepan. Stir in the broth, Parmigiano rind (if using), thyme, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove and discard the Parmigiano rind and thyme sprigs. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Pass grated Parmigiano at the table. (The soup can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.) As the soup stands, the barley will soak up the broth. Bring it back to the desired soupiness by stirring in broth or water as needed.

Excerpted from You Got This! Recipes Anyone Can Make and Everyone Will Love. Copyright @ 2025 by Diane Morrisey. Photography Copyright © 2025 by Dane Tashima. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.