Persian · lunch, dinner
Soup-e Jo (Persian Chicken and Barley Soup)
Video by Tahdigers on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Pearl barley and lean chicken breast make a filling one-bowl meal with about 29 g of protein and 9 g of fibre per serve, brightened with lemon and parsley instead of cream.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 12
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Cut the carrot into small cubes and finely chop the parsley. 0:24
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Stir in the turmeric and cook for 2 minutes until golden, then add the tomato paste and stir for about 4 minutes. 1:20
- Fill the pot about halfway with water and stir. Add the whole chicken breasts, the carrots, the pearl barley and salt and pepper. 1:50
- Cover and simmer on medium-high for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- Lift out the chicken, shred it and return it to the pot. Simmer for another 30 minutes on medium heat. 2:55
- Stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve with bread, topped with more parsley and a slice of lemon. 3:30
Tip. Serves 3–4. It thickens as it stands; loosen leftovers with hot water or stock when reheating. Freezes well.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 50%
- Protein 28%
- Fat 22%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 84% of the 52 g of net carbs come from the pearl barley. To cut carbs, try cauliflower rice instead, or half and half.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High112%
134 µg a serve, mostly from parsley (91%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Selenium High67%
37 µg a serve, mostly from chicken breasts (56%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High46%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from chicken breasts (58%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Omega-3 High43%
0.7 g a serve, mostly from oil (89%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Iron High28%
5 mg a serve, mostly from pearl barley (47%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin A High28%
251 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (83%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin C High27%
25 mg a serve, mostly from parsley (40%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Zinc High23%
2.5 mg a serve, mostly from pearl barley (56%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium Source19%
81 mg a serve, mostly from pearl barley (49%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Folate Source15%
61 µg a serve, mostly from pearl barley (47%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Potassium Source14%
680 mg a serve, mostly from chicken breasts (28%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin E Source14%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from oil (57%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B12 Source11%
0.3 µg a serve, mostly from chicken breasts (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Show the other 2
Calcium5%
67 mg a serve, mostly from pearl barley (30%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from chicken breasts (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
You might also like
Adasi (Persian Lentil Soup with Golpar)Persian · 324 kcal · 15 g protein
Aush Reshteh (Persian Bean, Herb and Noodle Soup)Persian · 529 kcal · 22 g protein
Joojeh Kabab (Persian Saffron Chicken Skewers)Persian · 441 kcal · 60 g protein
Kabab Chenjeh (Persian Veal Kebab Skewers)Persian · 499 kcal · 51 g protein
Kabab Tabei Morgh (Persian Pan Chicken Kebab)Persian · 563 kcal · 37 g protein
Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb Frittata)Persian · 234 kcal · 9.6 g protein
Recipe and video by Tahdigers; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.