British & Irish

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Name: Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British & Irish
Ingredients: 1 whole free-range chicken (approx. 1.5kg); 4 large leeks (cleaned and sliced into 2cm rings); 100g pearl barley (rinsed); 2 liters chicken stock or water; 1 tsp black peppercorns; fresh parsley (chopped); 6 prunes (optional; pitted and halved)

Scotland's elegant national soup — tender chicken simmered with gentle leeks in a clean, golden broth, traditionally finished with a few prunes.

90 minutes

Serves 4

Soup

Contains common allergens

Wheat

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Instructions

6 steps

1
Start the broth: Place the whole chicken into a very large stockpot. Add the chicken stock (or water), black peppercorns, and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

2
Add the barley: Stir in the rinsed pearl barley. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the meat is falling away from the bones.
3
Remove the chicken: Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot and place it on a large board to cool slightly.
4
Add the leeks: Add the sliced leeks (and prunes, if using) to the gently bubbling broth. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the leeks are very tender and the barley is soft.
5
Shred the meat: While the leeks cook, discard the chicken skin and bones. Shred the meat into large, bite-sized pieces.
6
Final assembly: Return the shredded chicken to the pot and heat through for 2 minutes. Check the seasoning, ladle into bowls, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

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