Slow-cooker chicken on brothy grains and veg recipe

Created by The Tesco Recipes team
This is the perfect chicken stew to take you from summer to cosy season – but honestly, enjoy it all year round. We've used juicy chicken thighs and pearl barley, which is ridiculously easy to cook and budget-friendly, alongside plenty of veggies. Prep in minutes, then forget about it while it cooks low and slow. This dish serves two, but you'll still have leftovers for our warm chicken salad – see tip below.
See method- Serves 2
- Takes at least 3 hrs 30 mins
- 608 calories / serving
- Freezable
- Dairy-free
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 600g pack skinless chicken thigh fillets
- 1 leek, trimmed and finely chopped
- 5 carrots, peeled, 2 chopped, 3 halved lengthways
- 4 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 50g pearl barley
- 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 500ml
- 1 tbsp Tesco Finest rose harissa paste, plus extra (optional)
- 75g frozen peas
- 5g fresh dill, most leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 lemon, half zested and juiced, half cut into wedges
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Shop ingredientsEach serving contains
- Energy
- 2545kJ 608.0kcal
- Fat
- 28g
- Saturates
- 7g
- Salt
- 3.5g
- Sugars
- 14g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 38.2gProtein 44.0gFibre 13.4g
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Sign in to shopMethod
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Season and brown the chicken, in batches, until golden on both sides.
- Add the chopped veg, garlic and pearl barley to a slow-cooker. Sit the halved carrots and chicken on top. Mix the stock and harissa, then pour over everything.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hrs (low for 5-6 hrs) or until the chicken is really tender and the grains are plump and cooked through. Turn off the slow-cooker.
- Remove the halved carrots and 2 of the chicken thighs and set aside to use in our warm chicken salad – see tip below. Stir the frozen peas, chopped dill, and lemon zest and juice into the rest, re-cover and leave for 5-10 mins to cook the peas.
- Scatter with the remaining dill sprigs and serve with lemon wedges and extra harissa, if you like.
- Cook once, eat twice tip: Use the leftover chicken and veg for our Warm chicken, lentil, chestnut and carrot salad.
- See more Slow-cooker recipes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
- For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.














