Lunch · 75 min · british

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

A British lunch built around chicken legs and leeks — on the table in 75 minutes. Each serving lands at 375 calories with 47g of protein, so it eats like a much heavier meal. Leftovers keep well, so it doubles as next-day lunch without any extra work.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken legs
• 6 Leeks
• 6 cups Chicken broth
• 0.5 cup Barley
• 8 Prunes
• 1 tsp Fresh thyme
• 2 Bay leaves

Steps

1. Simmer the chicken in the broth with bay and thyme for 30 minutes until tender. Lift out, shred the meat, and return the bones to simmer 15 minutes more for depth, then strain.
2. Slice the leeks — white and light green parts — and rinse thoroughly. Leeks hide grit between their layers like they’re paid to.
3. Add the leeks, barley, and shredded chicken to the strained broth and simmer 25 minutes until the barley is tender.
4. Stir in the prunes for the last 10 minutes. They sound strange; they melt into a subtle sweetness that balances the leeks. This is the traditional Scottish touch.
5. Season and serve with crusty bread. Simple, restorative, and older than most countries.

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