Kendra's Treats

I got a new Gooseberry Patch cookbook for Christmas called Our Favorite Recipes Under 400 Calories. As I was flipping through, this recipe caught my eye. I’m primarily a white meat kind of girl, which was the perfect reason to give this recipe a try. I’m branching out people ;). I also loved that this recipe used barley, another ingredient that I don’t often use. New recipes can be so exciting!

If you shy away from dark meat because you think it’s too “fatty”, you shouldn’t! Boneless skinless chicken thighs are similar in nutritional value to boneless skinless chicken breasts but are generally juicier and (sometimes) more flavorful, depending on how they are prepared. The slightly higher fat content makes them a little more forgiving if you have a tendency to overcook your chicken. (I’m looking at you MOM! Her and my brother actually like their chicken well done haha.)

This recipe was originally called “Spicy Glazed Chicken and Barley”. The chicken thighs are glazed with a mixture of soy sauce, spicy mustard, and honey. I debated whether to leave “spicy” in the title because honestly, they aren’t spicy at all. I guess they’re called spicy because of the spicy mustard. I decided to change the name to “Roasted Chicken Thighs and Barley” because they tasted like roast chicken and I couldn’t come up with a better name. If you come up with one let me know =).

While the chicken is cooking, you can whip up the barley. The barley gets extra flavor by cooking in chicken stock and we get some color (and vegetables!) by adding in a handful of frozen peas. Barley is super healthy and a great alternative to rice. Since this recipe calls for quick cooking barley, it’s ready in just over 10 minutes. Not only is this dish easy and delicious, but you can have the finished product on the table in just over 30 minutes! If you’re looking for easy, healthy recipes to spice up your dinner routine, you should definitely give this recipe a try! Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs and Barley

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
3 tsp spicy brown mustard
6 skinless boneless chicken thighs
3/4 cup quick cooking barley
1-3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock (or chicken broth with roasted vegetables and herbs)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
salt, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees . Spray 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey and mustard. Place the chicken thighs in the prepared baking dish. Brush the thighs with half of the soy sauce mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush the chicken with the remaining soy sauce mixture and bake for an additional 15 minutes. (Tops should be golden brown and it should have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees on instant read thermometer.)
3. While the chicken is baking, place chicken broth in small saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add barley. Cover and reduce to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Add peas and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes more or until barley has absorbed the chicken broth. Add salt to taste. Serve chicken over barley mixture.
*adapted from Our Favorite Recipes Under 400 Calories by Gooseberry Patch