Chicken & Leek Soup
Submitted by mura
Hearty chicken and leek soup with pearl barley, carrots, and celery simmered from a whole chicken. A rustic, filling bowl with chewy barley and meltingly soft leeks.
YIELD
7 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsPearl barley and leeks turn a simple chicken soup into something with real substance. The barley swells as it simmers, soaking up the broth and adding a chewy, almost nutty texture that makes every spoonful feel satisfying.
A whole cut-up chicken goes into the pot with carrots, celery, and a bay leaf, simmering for thirty minutes to build a rich broth. The leeks go in for the final fifteen minutes so they soften without falling apart completely.
After pulling the chicken off the bone and skimming the fat, you’re left with a clean, golden soup that tastes like it simmered all day. Seven generous servings from one pot.
Pro Tips
- Add the leeks in the last 15 minutes. They cook quickly and turn silky. Adding them too early turns them to mush and dulls their delicate onion flavor.
- Skim the fat after removing the chicken. A defatted broth is cleaner-tasting and lets the barley and vegetables shine.
- Rinse the pearl barley before adding. This washes off excess starch and keeps the broth clear instead of cloudy.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat all ingredients except leeks to boiling in Dutch oven.
Reduce heat.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add leeks. Heat to boiling, reduce heat.
Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 15 minutes.
Remove chicken from broth and cool slightly.
Remove chicken from bones and skin, cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.
Skim fat from both.
Remove bay leaf. Add chicken to broth.
Heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
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