Ingredients
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup pearl barley
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
Preparation
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with a browning option, brown chicken in oil, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a plate. (If your slow cooker doesn’t have a browning option, just remove skin from the chicken.) Add barley, broth, wine, onion, and garlic to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on top. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked through, 2 hours.
Stir peas and tarragon into barley; season with salt and pepper; and transfer to a platter. Arrange chicken on bed of barley and serve.
A good rule of thumb is to cook with a wine you’d like to drink. A dry Sauvignon Blanc works here and would make a crisp accompaniment to the meal as well. For an alcohol-free version, substitute low-sodium chicken broth.
