once upon a redhead

This one is for my dear friend, Yulia, who has been asking me for months to relay this recipe onto her and persuading me to write a cookbook. (I'm sorry for the procrastination, Yulia!) During the cold and miserable Charlotte winter season, I made this soup with ingredients that were handy throughout my kitchen. Making any kind of soup with leftover chicken is a game changer because you can really turn it into whatever you're feeling that day - from Chicken Tortilla to Chicken Noodle to my favorite - Chicken & Barley. Chicken & Barley Soup Serves 4-6 Ingredients For chicken: 8 chicken thighs 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper For soup: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 white onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 4 celery stalks, diced 1 cup mushrooms, diced Salt and pepper 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 clove garlic, sliced 1/2 lemon, juiced 3-4 cups vegetable broth