Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           Chopped onion
   1      cup           Sliced carrots
   1      cup           Sliced celery
   1      tablespoon    Vegetable oil
   5      cups          Water
   1      can           Reduced sodium chicken broth
                         -- (14-1/2 oz size)
     1/2  cup           Medium QUAKER Barley*
   1      teaspoon      Thyme -- crushed
   1      teaspoon      Salt (optional)
     1/8  teaspoon      Black pepper
   1      cup           Chopped cooked chicken
                         -- (about 1/2 pound)

Preparation:

In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook onion, carrots and celery in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients except chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked chicken; continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is heated through and barley is tender. Add additional water or chicken broth if soup becomes too thick upon standing. Eight 1-cup servings. *NOTE: To use Quick QUAKER Barley, substitute 2/3 cup quick barley for medium barley and decrease water to 4 cups. Cook onion, carrots and celery as directed above. Add remaining ingredients except chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken; continue simmering 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is heated through and barley is tender.