Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Barley Stew

Hey folks, Dan here again.  About a week ago, Beth decided that she wanted a chicken, barley, and sweet potato stew.  Not having a recipe for such a concoction, I decided to come up with one on my own.  I am happy to say that it turned out pretty well.  It was very hearty and delicious, although the barley had a tendency to sink to the bottom of the pot, so the first couple bowls were broth heavy, while the last few were barley heavy.  Anyway, here’s the recipe:

Chicken Sweet Potato and Barley Stew

Active Time: 45 min.
Total Time: 1 hr 45 min.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
4  tbsp olive oil
6 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup barley
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut up
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed


Directions:
1.  In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, and a pinch of salt, and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes.
2.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes.
3.  Add the chicken broth and herbs and bring to a boil.
4.  While the vegetables are cooking, heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 min.
5.  When the chicken broth mixture is boiling, add the browned chicken, sweet potatoes, and barley.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for one hour.

Serves: 6
Nutritionals:  418.5 cal, 11.4 g fat, 48 g carb, 31.1 g protein