Spiced Chicken Barley Stew with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes

Lately I've been doing some cleaning up around here. Getting rid of excess clutter. I get quite a bit of pleasure out of throwing things away. (To the point that I'll spend forever searching for something and realize I probably tossed it ages ago. Now that I think about it, there might be a pertinent psychiatric diagnosis here.) Dustin is the opposite of me. He's a collector. He clings to objects for the sake of nostalgia. This can create some drama. (But luckily I've learned that if something is not mine, I can't dispose of it without permission.) Thankfully though, this blog is my territory and I can de-clutter to my hearts content!

So if you notice something disappear, it could be for one of three reasons. One, I'm improving up on it. Occasionally I temporarily remove a recipe while I'm re-making it and updating the post. No worries, it will resurface soon. Two, it could have moved. Recently I changed the format for the recipe index and several other pages. They're still here but old links might not work. Three, I may have deleted it. Over the last two years my culinary skills and tastes have evolved and I've become a lot more critical of the food I share. If there's a recipe I once posted that I know I'm never going to make again (perhaps because I found a better one- or whatever reason), I don't bother keeping it around. Since this blog primarily serves as my own recipe collection and resource, I reserve the right to edit/add/remove as much as I'd like. If a recipe goes missing that you were looking for, send me an e-mail. I'll be able to get it to you.

Now, how about some barley stew? This is the first recipe I've made in the a while that came from an actual cookbook. (The kind made of paper and glue that sits on your bookshelf.) For once, I wasn't consulting my computer screen for instructions and ingredients. It felt oddly old-fashioned and homey. Isn't it funny that our world has become so digital that using a cookbook seems old-school?! Most recipes, even though they've been published as a hard copy at some point, are available online. Not this one (well, until now). It comes from In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark (New York Times food writer). And I only adapted it slightly. She intended it to be a soup, and I made it a stew. (Which was an easy fix- I used less liquid.) I was pleased with the chewy texture of the barley, the sweet and earthy medley of spices, and the tender chunks of chicken and sweet potato. A dinner that's warm, hearty, and good for you.

Spiced Chicken Barley Stew with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch cayenne
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 cup pearled barley, rinsed well
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded or diced (or boil a whole chicken to make the broth)
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped + extra for garnish
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice + lemon wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and kosher salt and saute until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the spices and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the broth, water, and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Add the sweet potato and continue to cook until the barley and sweet potato are soft, about 30-40 minutes more.

3. Stir in the cooked chicken, spinach, and cilantro and cook until the spinach is wilted and the chicken is heated through. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with fresh chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite)