Cock-a-Leekie Soup for Burns Night (Scottish Chicken, Leek and Rice Soup)

Cock-a-Leekie soup is a traditional choice for the soup course on Burns Night, but you can make this Scottish chicken, leek and rice soup anytime of year. 

If you’re having a Burns Night supper, you’ll probably have to make some decisions on the menu. For example, for the soup course, you can make Cock-a-Leekie soup or Cullen Skink.

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Read more about Cullen Skink, smoked haddock chowder, and get the full recipe.

I’ve always wanted to make Cock-a-Leekie soup, but never realize how incredibly simple it is. I used the recipe from Janet Warren’s A Feast of Scotland cookbook. Well, I should say, I adapted the recipe because it sounded a bit overdone, so to speak. 

A chicken is boiled along with a bay leaf, and leeks for 2 to 3 hours (!) then rice and an optional addition of prunes are added to the pot and boiled a further 30 minutes. A bit too long for my taste. As it is, I cooked the leeks for significantly less time and they still seemed overcooked.

Can’t get enough Scottish soups? Try my Scotch broth recipe next!

Obviously, you too can adapt this recipe to your liking, but as far as the prunes go, apparently, they went “out of fashion” in the early 1800s! That’s good enough for me to omit them, however, I know people do add prunes to this soup and enjoy them.

Cock-a-Leekie soup is very light, but very tasty with the leeks and rice. Perfect for a starter, especially for Burns Night! You won’t believe how simple it is to make using only three ingredients (five, if you include water and salt). Enjoy!

Can I make Cock a Leekie Soup in a Slow Cooker?

Absolutely, it’s actually perfect for a slow cooker. Just put the chicken, salt and water in the slow cooker on low for 4 or 5 hours. Then add the leeks and rice and continue to simmer for another hour or so, or until the rice is ready.

Cock-a-Leekie Soup
(Scottish Chicken, Leek and Rice Soup)

Ingredients

• 1 organic chicken with giblets
• sea salt or Kosher salt (not very salty salt)
• 1 lb organic leeks, sliced into rounds and washed thoroughly
• 1 1/2 oz (3 Tbsp) rice

Boil the chicken and giblets in 8 cups of water with about 2 teaspoons of sea, or Kosher salt, for about 1.5 hours, skimming as needed.

Remove the chicken and strain the broth. (Use the chicken for another recipe.) Put back into the pot, add the rice and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

Add the leeks and simmer until the rice and leeks are ready. Check for seasoning and add salt, bouillon and pepper as needed.

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Cock-a-Leekie Soup for Burns Night

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

A traditional Scottish chicken, leek and rice soup. Often served for Burns Night supper.

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Ingredients

• 1 organic chicken with giblets
• sea salt or Kosher salt (not very salty salt)
• 1 lb organic leeks, sliced into rounds and washed thoroughly
• 1 1/2 oz (3 Tbsp) rice

Instructions

1. Boil the chicken and giblets in 8 cups of water with about 2 teaspoons of sea or Kosher salt for about 1.5 hours, skimming as needed.
2. Remove the chicken and strain the broth. (Use the chicken for another recipe.) Put back into the pot, add the rice and simmer for about 15 minutes. 
3. Add the leeks and simmer until the rice and leeks are ready. Check for seasoning and add salt, bouillon and pepper as needed.

Notes

The prunes are optional.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 62Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 139mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

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