Chicken and Barley Soup with Dried Mushrooms and Dill

I've gained weight and would like to have soup more often for dinner. This is one good recipe I got from the cookbook, 300 Sensational Soups. This recipe serves 6, so obviously I have to cut it in half when I prepare it. And I used diced chicken instead of cooking one whole chicken.

Barley is one of the healthiest grains, as it is low on the glycemic index and a good source of fiber. The dried mushrooms add a smoky flavor and the dill gives a little spike of flavor. Try this soup on a cold December day.

1/2 oz dried porcini, chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 whole chicken (about 1.5k), rinsed or 1.5k skinless chicken thighs
8 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 cups pearl barley
2 tbsp minced fresh dill
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. In a small bowl, soak dried mushrooms in boiling water until softened, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently lift mushrooms from liquid and swish in a bowl of cold water to remove any clinging sand or dirt. Coarsely chop and set aside. Pour mushroom liquid through a sieve lined with a coffee filter into a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add carrots, garlic, celery, salt and pepper; saute until vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes.
3. Add chicken and stock. If chicken isn't immersed, add water or stock to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Partially cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 170F, about 45 minutes. Skim the soup if any scum develops on the surface.
4. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate and let cool slightly.
5. If desired, skim the fat from the surface of the soup with a large spoon. Add reserved mushrooms, mushroom liquid and barley. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender, about 25 minutes.
6. While the soup is cooking, remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Shred meat into bite-size pieces.
7. Add chicken to the pot, along with dill and lemon juice; heat until steaming, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
8. Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with croutons if desired.

Tip: Seasoning with a little bit of lemon juice at the end of cooking heightens the flavor of the soup. Although most home cooks think only in terms of salt and pepper when it comes to adjusting the seasoning in their dishes, a little acid goes a long way toward making a soup taste just right.