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Cock-a-Leekie Recipe — A Traditional Scottish Soup

My Scottish granny, Agnes Isabella, made Scotch Broth. Not Cock-a-Leekie — that was somebody else's soup. But the instinct was the same: a good stock, something from the garden or the market, pearl barley doing its quiet work in the background, and enough in the pot to last two days.

This cock-a-leekie recipe is Scotland's oldest soup — leeks and chicken simmered together, documented as far back as the 16th century. The prunes are optional, depending on who you ask. I have them in the pantry, so they go in. That's my position on the argument.

It appears on my Burns Night menu as the starter — the full story is here — but it doesn't need Burns Night as an excuse. It's a good soup on any grey afternoon.

What You Need to Know About This Cock-a-Leekie Recipe

The stock is doing most of the work here. Bone-in chicken thighs give you both the meat and the flavour — as they simmer, they enrich the stock from the inside. Pearl barley goes in at the start, absorbing the stock slowly and giving the soup body without thickening it into something heavy. The leeks go in early too, collapsing gently into the broth.

The prunes go in at the end. Fifteen minutes is enough — they soften, give a little sweetness, and balance the savouriness of the stock. If you're firmly in the no-prunes camp, leave them out. The soup will still be excellent.

Serves two — one bowl now, one for the freezer.

Cock-a-Leekie Recipe — The Method

Serves 2 | one for freezer

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in chicken thighs
• ½ leek, washed and sliced
• 50g pearl barley, rinsed
• 750ml chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 4 dried prunes, halved
• Salt and black pepper
• Flat-leaf parsley to finish

Method

1. Build the pot. Put the chicken thighs, pearl barley, leek, bay leaf and thyme into a pan. Pour over the chicken stock — it should cover everything generously. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.
2. Skim. As it comes up to temperature, skim anything that rises to the surface. This keeps the stock clear and the flavour clean — Agnes Isabella would have approved.
3. Simmer. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and leave to simmer gently for 45 minutes. The barley will swell, the leeks will soften, and the chicken will start to give.
4. Add the prunes. After 45 minutes, add the halved prunes. Simmer for a further 15 minutes until the chicken is falling from the bone and the barley is completely tender.
5. Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken thighs. Strip the meat from the bone, shred it, and return to the pot. Discard the bones and the bay leaf.
6. Season and serve. Taste carefully — the stock will already carry some salt. Adjust seasoning, ladle into deep bowls, and scatter with flat-leaf parsley.

Freeze the second portion once it's completely cold. It keeps well and reheats gently on the hob with a splash more stock if needed.

This cock-a-leekie recipe is featured in my Soup Recipes Hub, a collection of soups, broths, and chilled bowls from Casa Adora and the road. It also forms part of my Scottish Recipes collection.

You'll also find it in my Gut Health Recipes collection — real food from a rural Andalucían kitchen, built around fermented foods, high-fibre pulses, wholegrains and prebiotic-rich ingredients.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef