Cock-a-Leekie Soup (Scottish Chicken and Leek Soup)
Published Feb. 2, 2022
- Total Time
- 2½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3½pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 3teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 4large leeks, cleaned, greens and whites separated
- 3medium carrots, peeled (reserve peels), cut into ¼-inch-thick coins
- 2celery stalks, thinly sliced (reserve any leaves)
- 1head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1bunch parsley, stems and leaves separated
- 3 to 5fresh thyme sprigs
- 1fresh or dried bay leaf
- 1star anise or clove
- 1teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½cup pearl barley
- ½cup chopped pitted prunes
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
630 calories; 29 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 53 grams protein; 1020 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set chicken aside while prepping the other ingredients.
- Step 2
Put leek greens, carrot peels, celery leaves, garlic, parsley stems, thyme, bay leaf and star anise at bottom of a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the peppercorns, and pour in 8 cups cold water, or enough to just submerge the chicken.
- Step 3
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and partly cover the pot. Cook until chicken is cooked through and very tender, 45 to 55 minutes.
- Step 4
While the chicken cooks, thickly slice 3 of the leek whites into ½-inch coins. Thinly slice the remaining leek white; set thinly and thickly sliced leeks aside separately.
- Step 5
When the chicken is tender, using tongs, transfer to a large bowl or plate to cool. Strain the broth into a large bowl, discarding vegetables and herbs.
- Step 6
Wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to medium-high heat. Add butter, letting it melt. Add the thick leek coins (save the thinly sliced leek for garnish), a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer leek whites to a bowl (they can go on top of the chicken if there’s room).
- Step 7
Pour broth back into the pot. Bring broth to a brisk simmer, and stir in barley, carrots and celery. Let broth simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced by a third, and the barley and vegetables are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Step 8
While the broth is simmering, use a fork or your fingers to shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones.
- Step 9
Once the barley and vegetables are tender, stir in shredded chicken, sautéed leek whites and the prunes, and simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the prunes to soften (some might disintegrate). Taste and add salt, if needed. To serve, garnish with thinly sliced leek whites and parsley leaves.
Private Notes
Comments
I grew up in Scotland and we never really used celery. When we came to Canada I was surprised how omnipresent it was in soup and then when visiting the US it seemed to be in everything. So, I never have it in my Cock a Leekie soup which I usually make with rice although I have made it with Scottish porridge oats. But much as I love Cock a Leekie I would refer you to the greatest Scottish soup: Cullen Skink made with finnan haddie.
If I wanted to substitute steel cut Scottish oats for barley to feed someone with gluten issues would I use the same cooking interval as specified in this (40 - 50 min) for the pearl barley?
I cook with oats often and usually use groats, whole oats if you can find them. For groats the cooking interval would be the same as barley which I also love but for steel cut oats it would be a little less time. Barley and Oats, let’s hear it for two great Northern European grains!
This is become my go-to favorite winter chicken soup. I usually make it with the leftover meat and carcass of a roast chicken. I cook the broth for a lot longer. The flavor is more complex, and it’s not as greasy.
Made this with giant couscous instead of pearl barley as the shops were out, and no prunes (couldn't find them). The couscous did absorb a lot of water, and expanded a lot before disintegrating, so next time I'd go for rice instead, but the remaining broth was so rich and meaty that I can feel a protective cock-a-leekie coloured aura forming around me already.
For a half recipe, I made this with leftover roasted chicken with maple and rosemary butter (NYTimes recipe). I had already made some broth from the carcass which included the leftover sauce so I used that instead of starting anew. Because of the sweetness from the maple syrup I omitted the prune but agree that the slight sweetness coupled with the star anise made the recipe special. Used steel cut oats. Super yummy!