Hearty Chicken Barley Soup

Here's a hearty meal-type soup that, as they say, will put hair on your chest.  If you don't want it quite so thick and hearty, just add more chicken broth.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
2 - 900 ml containers low sodium chicken broth
bay leaf
3/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 - 1 cup chopped spinach
2 carrots, cubed
2 celery stalks, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 chopped basil leaves
1-2 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, lightly brown the chicken breasts in a couple of tbsps olive oil.  Add the broth and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and add the pearl barley.  Turn down the heat to medium low and simmer 1 hour.

Remove the chicken and cut into cubes or shred, then add back to the pot along with all the vegetables.  Bring back to a boil, then reduce and simmer another 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.

Add lemon juice and basil.  Salt and pepper only if you really feel the need to.  It's quite flavourful without.

Make some to freeze and you'll have it on hand when cold and flu season strikes.