Chicken-Barley Soup Crock pot

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

5 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (original recipe calls for 1 tsp.)

2 lbs cooked chick breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used 2 boneless chicken thighs and 8 chicken tenders)

1/2 cup barley, picked over and rinsed

2 Tablespoons butter

3 14.4 oz cans chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (about 2 shakes)

Place the vegetables, garlic, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker. Top with chicken pieces, barley, butter, broth, water, and bouillon. DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on Low for  8 hours (I cooked mine on high for 3-4 hours). Before serving, stir in parsley and Tabasco sauce.

We ate it without the parsley and Tabasco, because I forgot to add it. My boys told me this was so good and they gobbled it down. I love the simplicity of this recipe and that it doesn't call for a lot of extra spices.