Chicken Soup with Lentils and Barley

1 cup sliced leeks
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T butter
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry lentils, rinsed
1/2 t basil
1/4 t oregano
1/4 t rosemary
1/4 t black pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2  cup sliced carrots (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup quick-cook barley
1 14.5 oz can tomatoes, cut up

In stockpot cook leeks, bell pepper and garlic in melted butter until tender.  Stir in broth, water, lentils, herbs and black pepper.  Bring to boil; simmer covered 20 minutes.  Stir in chicken, carrots and uncooked barley.  Cover and simmer another 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Stir in undrained tomatoes and heat through.


Instead of using water, I had about a cup of home made chicken stock and completed the rest of the water.  Also I think that using a can of diced tomatoes instead of cutting up whole canned tomatoes would be better.  On the whole this is a hearty soup, not very brothy. 

Also, when making anything that requires cooked chicken I buy a rotisserie cooked chicken.  It costs the same around here as buying a raw roaster, and it has a better texture than poached chicken.