Scatter dry pearl barley around raw chicken pieces, alongside 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a humble supper that's the one everyone asks for

This is my ultra-humble, five-ingredient slow cooker chicken and barley—the kind of poor boy supper that quietly becomes the recipe everyone asks for. It started as a “what’s in the pantry?” experiment on a weeknight when I was too tired to fuss with dinner, and now it’s a regular in our house. You literally scatter dry pearl barley around raw chicken pieces in the slow cooker, add just three more everyday ingredients, and walk away. By dinnertime, the barley has soaked up all those cozy chicken juices and turns into a thick, comforting base that tastes like you worked way harder than you did.

I like to serve this chicken and barley with something fresh and crunchy to balance the cozy richness—think a simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette or some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes tossed in olive oil and vinegar. Warm dinner rolls or buttered toast are great for scooping up the saucy barley. If you want to stretch it a bit further, spoon the chicken and barley into shallow bowls and top with a handful of frozen peas you’ve quickly microwaved, or add a side of steamed green beans or roasted carrots so everything still feels easy but complete.

Servings: 4

1 cup dry pearl barley, rinsed

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a little oil to help with cleanup.

Place the raw chicken thighs in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker, skin side up. It’s okay if they fit snugly.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the chicken pieces so each one gets a bit of seasoning.

Scatter the dry pearl barley all around and in between the raw chicken pieces in the slow cooker, letting it fall into the gaps and around the sides. This is where the barley will soak up all the flavorful juices as everything cooks.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and condensed cream of chicken soup until mostly smooth. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just combined enough so the soup isn’t one big lump.

Pour the broth and soup mixture gently over the chicken and scattered barley, trying not to wash all the seasoning off the top of the chicken. The liquid should mostly cover the barley and come about halfway up the chicken pieces.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and the barley is soft and thickened. Avoid lifting the lid too often so the barley cooks evenly.

Once cooked, taste the barley and add a little salt and pepper if needed, keeping in mind the onion soup mix is already salty. If you like, you can remove the chicken, pull the meat off the bones, and stir it back into the barley, or leave the pieces whole for a more rustic feel.

Serve the chicken and barley hot, spooning plenty of the thick, saucy barley into bowls and topping with the chicken. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and thicken even more, so you can splash in a bit of extra broth when reheating if you like it looser.

If you want to sneak in some veggies without adding extra prep, scatter 1 to 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables or frozen peas and carrots over the barley before you pour on the broth mixture. For a slightly lighter version, you can swap bone-in thighs for boneless, skinless thighs or even chicken breasts; just check a bit earlier on the HIGH setting so they don’t dry out. If you like a deeper, roastier flavor, quickly brown the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker, though it’s absolutely not required for a busy weeknight. You can also change the vibe by using cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken, or swap the dry onion soup mix for a ranch seasoning packet for a different but still cozy flavor. If the finished barley is thicker than you like, stir in an extra splash of warm broth or water right before serving. And if you’re cooking for two, halve the recipe and use a smaller slow cooker, or make the full batch and portion leftovers into lunch containers—the barley reheats beautifully and makes an easy grab-and-go meal.