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Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley

This comforting chicken and barley stew combines tender chicken, pearl barley, onions, celery, and red bell peppers in a tomato-rich chicken stock seasoned with thyme, salt, and black pepper. Made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, it comes together in under an hour and makes a warming family meal for busy weeknights or cool-weather dinners.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook40 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

56 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
61 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
15 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
92 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

72
Heart Health
87
Metabolic
59
Digestive
50
Inflammatory
67
Performance
64
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Turn on a multifunctional pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot) and select the Sauté function. Add oil, onions, celery, and bell peppers to the pot; sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

  2. 2

    Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and add them to the pot. Add tomatoes, pearl barley, chicken stock, and thyme. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions; set the timer for 25 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

  3. 3

    Release the pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with 2 forks. Return it to the pot and stir to combine.

About This Recipe

Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley is made with 12 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 55 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Barley, Black Pepper, Celery, and Chicken Breast. Each serving provides about 308.38 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley made of?
The main ingredients are Barley, Black Pepper, Celery, Chicken Breast, Chicken Stock. The full list of 12 is above.
How long does it take to make Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley?
About 55 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 308.38 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 12 ingredients and 3 steps.
Is Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley healthy?
Pressure Cooker Chicken with Barley has an easyChef Pro health score of 56/100. Per serving, it provides 308.38 calories and 26.24 g of protein, or 52% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 349.11 mg (15% of the Daily Value). It contains Wheat, Gluten, Celery, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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