Cock-a-Leekie Soup

About This Recipe

Cock-a-leekie is one of Scotland's oldest recorded dishes, appearing in Scottish literature as early as 1598. A long-simmered pot of chicken and leeks, it is both beautifully simple and deeply satisfying. The unusual addition of prunes — which may seem out of place — is actually historically authentic, dating to a time when sweet and savoury combinations were common in Scottish and European cooking. The prunes dissolve into the broth, adding a subtle sweetness that balances the richness of the chicken. It is traditionally served as the first course at Burns Night suppers, before the haggis.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 wholechicken (about 1.5 kg)
• 1.5 litrescold water
• 500 mlchicken stock
• 4 largeleeks, trimmed and sliced into rounds
• 75 gpearl barley, rinsed
• 12 wholeready-to-eat prunes, halved
• 2 stalkscelery, sliced
• 1 mediumonion, halved
• 3 sprigsfresh thyme
• 2 bay leavesbay leaves
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the stock

   Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot with the cold water and chicken stock. Add the halved onion, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, skimming any grey foam from the surface. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

2. 2

   Add the barley

   After 20 minutes of simmering, add the rinsed pearl barley to the pot. It will cook alongside the chicken for the remaining 40 minutes.

3. 3

   Remove and shred the chicken

   When the chicken is cooked through, carefully remove it from the pot. Allow to cool briefly, then strip all the meat from the bones in large shreds. Discard the carcass, skin, onion, celery, thyme, and bay leaves.

4. 4

   Add leeks and prunes

   Return the broth to a gentle simmer. Add the sliced leeks and halved prunes. Cook for 15–20 minutes until the leeks are completely tender and the prunes have softened into the broth.

5. 5

   Return the chicken and serve

   Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Heat through for 5 minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and scatter with fresh parsley.

Variations

• •

  Some modern versions omit the prunes if diners are unfamiliar with the combination; replace with a small turnip diced into the broth.

• •

  Cock-a-leekie pie is a traditional variation, where the soup is used as a filling under a shortcrust pastry lid.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The barley will absorb liquid on standing — add extra stock when reheating. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions