Spring Chicken & Barley Soup

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large chicken breast, skin removed, trimmed (8-10 ounces)
• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 1/3 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup trimmed and diagonally sliced asparagus (1/4 inch thick)
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaf
• 1 strip orange zest (1/2 by 2 inches)

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add broth, chicken and barley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.
4. Return the broth to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, shred the chicken or cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bone.
6. When the barley is done, add the chicken, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes with juice, asparagus, peas, salt and a grinding of pepper; return to a simmer.
7. Cover and cook over low heat until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.
8. Gather basil and orange zest and finely chop together.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with a generous pinch of the basil mixture.

extra virgin olive oil, onion, celery, garlic, chicken broth, chicken, pearl barley, fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, peas, coarse salt, fresh ground pepper, basil leaf, orange zest

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/spring-chicken-barley-soup-363001 (may not work)