Chicken and Mushroom One-Pot

One-pot meals are the most practical meals for a cutting diet — less washing up means less friction, and less friction means you're more likely to cook at home. This chicken and mushroom stew is thick, warming, and loaded with protein.

Ingredients

• 500g chicken breast, diced
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 100g pearl barley, rinsed
• 700ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches for 2–3 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the mushrooms, pearl barley, thyme, bay leaf, and stock.
6. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 30–35 minutes until the barley is tender and the sauce has thickened.
7. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, scatter with parsley and serve.

Nutrition Notes

Pearl barley provides a slow, steady release of carbohydrates compared to white rice, helping maintain stable energy levels. Combined with chicken breast, this one-pot delivers excellent satiety per calorie.