Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Chicken, leeks and a few prunes simmered into a clear, savoury broth: one of Scotland's oldest soups.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 40 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Cock-a-leekie is chicken and leek soup, Scottish style. Recipes go back to at least the 18th century, when it was made with an old cockerel boiled for hours. The prunes surprise people, but they add a gentle sweetness that balances the leeks.
It is often served on Burns Night and St Andrew's Day, but it is just as welcome on any cold evening.
Ingredients
Broth
- 1whole chicken, about 1.5 kg, or 8 bone-in chicken thighs
- 2½litrescold water
- 1onion, halved
- 1carrot, halved
- 1celery stick
- 2bay leaves
- 1few sprigs of thyme
Soup
- 4leeks, about 750 g, trimmed, washed and sliced
- 50glong-grain rice, optional, to thicken slightly
- 12ready-to-eat prunes, stoned and halved
- salt and ground black pepper
- chopped parsley, to serve
Equipment
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Method
- 1
Put the chicken in a large saucepan with the water, onion, carrot, celery and herbs. Bring slowly to a simmer, skimming off any froth, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes (45 minutes for thighs), until the meat falls from the bones.
- 2
Lift out the chicken and strain the broth, throwing away the vegetables. Skim off some of the fat if you like. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the skin and bones.
- 3
Return the broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the leeks and rice and cook for 15 minutes, until the leeks are soft.
Photo: Karen and Brad Emerson · CC BY 2.0 (cropped) - 4
Add the prunes and shredded chicken and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season well and serve with parsley and plenty of bread.
Tips
Wash the leeks well: slice them first, then swish the rings in a bowl of cold water so the grit sinks.
For more Scottish soups, try Scotch broth and cullen skink. A big saucepan or stockpot of at least 5 litres fits a whole chicken.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy broth | Boiled hard | Keep it at a gentle simmer and skim early |
| Gritty soup | Soil trapped in the leeks | Wash the sliced leeks in plenty of water |
| Prunes dissolved | Added too early | Add them in the last 5 minutes |
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