Chicken and Barley Bake

I haven't done a lot of baking or cooking since I lost my husband back in January.  It is hard cooking for only one. 

I have decided it is time to get back to eating healthy again.  I really wasn't eating "healthy", just a lot of "quick" type meals - breaded fish and such.  So I got out my various cookbooks and planned a menu from them for this week.  All new recipes that I have never tried before  

This is my first one on my menu.  It is from the The Big Book of Healthy Family Dinners by Better Homes and Gardens. 

Chicken and Barley Bake

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skinned
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 tsp instant chicken boullon powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1.2 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels
Spray an unheated large skillet with Pam or something similar (I used olive oil)
Add the chicken and brown on each side for 10 minutes

Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Combine the onion, carrots, barley, water, boullon, garlic and poultry seasoning into the same skillet.  Bring to a boil.

Pour the hot barley mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and arrange the chicken pieces on top

Cover and bake for about 1 hour.

Enjoy!!

 

Entire Recipe:

Chicken and Barley Bake

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skinned
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 tsp instant chicken boullon powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1.2 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels
Spray an unheated large skillet with Pam or something similar (I used olive oil)
Add the chicken and brown on each side for 10 minutes
Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Combine the onion, carrots, barley, water, boullon, garlic and poultry seasoning into the same skillet.  Bring to a boil.
Pour the hot barley mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and arrange the chicken pieces on top
Cover and bake for about 1 hour.  

Verdict:

I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe.  I wasn't sure if I would like or not with the pearl barley.  But it was really good.  I think next time I will cut the recipe in half since this makes 4 servings.  (the dogs and cats did like it also - LOL!!!)  Yes, this is a keeper recipe.  I do think my husband would have liked this.