Find Us

chicken, poultry, Soups

Cock a Leekie soup – Scottish chicken and leek soup

0 comments

This is a delicious chicken soup that really shows off the delicate flavor of the leeks. You can make this soup with regular chicken stock but the flavor is much better if you make the base stock with the tops of the leeks and the chicken legs.

You can make the soup simple and light with just the chicken, leeks and prunes or add some barley to it for more of a meal.

Chicken soup is always popular in the winter as a nice warm you up meal or to help fight off a cold and this is a great version to mix up the chicken soup variety a little.

The soup is often served as one of the dishes for Rabbie Burns supper. Robert Burns is the national poet of Scotland and his birthday is celebrated every year on January 25th. You probably know him as the guy who wrote Old Lang Syne which is usually played on New Years eve. It’s a great time to enjoy this soup as the days are cold, dark and short so we need something to celebrate and food to enjoy. Cock-a-leekie soup is delicious enough to enjoy at other times of the year as well.

I hope you get a chance to try it .

Cock-a-leekie soup

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by admin
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

2

hours 

15

minutes
Calories

kcal
Total time

0

minutes

A traditional Scottish chicken soup with leeks. Cooking the stock or soup base with the tops of the leeks and the whole legs adds a delicious herbal almost floral flavor and scent to the soup. Make it light and simple with just the leeks, chicken and prunes or add some pearl barley to the soup and make it a more substantial meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 legs 2 chicken , whole chicken legs

  • 6-8 cups 6-8 water

  • 2 whole 2 leeks

  • 1 small 1 onion

  • 2 sprigs 2 parsley

  • 1 sprig 1 thyme

  • 1 whole 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tsp 2 salt

  • 8 whole 8 peppercorns

  • 8 whole 8 prunes, pitted

  • 1 Tbs 1 chopped parsley

  • 1/3 cup 1/3 pearl barley (optional)

Directions

  • Cut the green tops off the leeks and wash well. Place the green tops from the leeks in a roomy soup pot and add the onion in 4 quarters, the chicken legs, thyme, bay leaf and parsley sprigs, peppercorns, salt and water. Reserve the white bottoms of the leeks, prunes and chopped parsley.
    Wash and chop the white bottoms of the leeks in 1/2 inch pieces. Slice the prunes into thin strips.
  • Bring the pot with the chicken to a boil and immediately lower to a simmer. Cook at a slow simmer for about 45 minutes until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken legs to a platter and allow to cool enough to handle.
  • Remove the meat from the chicken bones, tear it in bite sized pieces and set aside. Return the skin and bones to the pot and cook the stock for an additional 60 minutes.
  • Strain the chicken stock a couple of times through a fine strainer and discard the bones and solids. Skim off the fat roughly, a little can stay.
  • Clean the pot and return the stock to it bringing it back to a simmer. Add the chopped leeks (and the barley if using) to the stock and simmer 15-30 minutes until the leeks (and barley)are tender. Add the chicken meat back to the soup to warm up. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper.
  • Serve the soup garnished with the prune strips and chopped parsley.

Equipment

  • cutting board, chefs knife, measuring spoons and cups, soup pot, strainer, large spoon

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

About This Site