Warm and welcoming, this easy Instant Pot Chicken Barley Stew makes a great weeknight dinner since it's ready, from start to finish, in just a little over 30 minutes. Turmeric adds a hint of peppery spice to the stew along with a comforting yellow color.
Easy instant pot barley chicken stew
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Instant Pot Stew?
According to my calculations, each serving has 270 calories and
4 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
7 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
How to Make Chicken Barley Stew, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Ready to make the chicken stew
Step 2: Add the chicken, onion, carrots, barley, turmeric, salt, pepper and broth to the inner pot and stir to combine.
Ready to cook the stew
Step 3: Lock the lid and move pressure-release valve to sealing (or closed) position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes once cooking time is complete, then manually (quick) release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release valve to venting (being careful of the hot steam).
Step 5: Remove the lid, place the cooked chicken in a large bowl and shred with two forks.
Shredding the cooked chicken
Add the shredded chicken back into the pot and mix well.
Fresh made chicken barley stew
Step 6: Divide the stew evenly between 4 bowls and top with chopped parsley.
Easy Chicken Stew with Barley
Recipe Notes
Find ground turmeric in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. I found a larger organic bottle at my local Costco. Turmeric has been used in India for thousands of years as both a medicinal herb and a spice, mostly commonly found in many curries.
This stew can also be made with bone-in skinless chicken thighs. After cooking and before shredding, remove the chicken from the bones. You may find that this broth has a richer taste thanks to the nutrients from the cooked chicken bones.
Chicken Stew Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this light & healthy chicken stew with warm crusty bread and a simple green salad.
Protein-Packed Chicken Barley Stew
Ways to Use Leftover Chicken Barley Stew
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stew can be reheated in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (affiliate link), or in a saucepan on the stove top.
Are You Ready To Firmly Plant Yourself
On The Path To Lasting Weight Loss Success?
If you've made this fiber-packed Chicken Stew with Barley, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Instant Pot Barley Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup pearled barley
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add the chicken, onion, carrots, barley, turmeric, salt, pepper and broth to the Instant Pot and stir to combine.
- Lock the lid and move pressure-release valve to sealing (or closed) position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes once cooking time is complete, then manually (quick) release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure release valve to venting (being careful of the hot steam).
- Remove the lid, place the cooked chicken in a bowl and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and mix well.
- Divide stew evenly between 4 bowls and top with chopped parsley.
Equipment
Recipe Notes
Recipe source: Instant Pot Miracle Healthy Cookbook (affiliate link) by Urvashi Pitre
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
More Light & Healthy Instant Pot Recipes for Weight Watchers:
- Healthy Instant Pot Cheddar Broccoli Soup
- Easy InstantPot Taco Soup
- Healthy Vegetable Meatball Soup
- Skinny Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Two Ingredient Chili Verde for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
Subscribe to Get: Top 10 Reader Favorite Recipes
The Top 10 Most Popular Recipes (PDF) on Simple Nourished Living + Weekly Support Emails with Tips & Easy Healthy Recipes Not Found Anywhere Else!
Chris
Add turmeric with everything ?
Martha McKinnon
Yes, I've updated the recipe. Thanks for letting me know!
P.
I added more vegetables. Very delicious.