I decided to ask my mum for her broth recipe as it's always delicious...so warm and comforting. As I suspected, she didn't have a recipe written down as it's all in her head. Traditionally known as scotch broth, this soup originated in Scotland but you'll see it on menus worldwide. My mum calls this soup her chicken and vegetable broth, but this can easily be made into a vegetarian version - see Tips. The next time she made it, she kindly weighed out the ingredients and gave me the instructions for making it.
The recipe makes quite a large amount, so I usually portion up some for the freezer to have another time. Enjoy with some crusty bread or savoury scones. Alternatively, if you're having some for dinner, serve it alongside a quiche or grilled cheese sandwich. Or, how about giving it a try along with your Burns supper?
Tips
- Note: the vegetable broth mix needs to be soaked overnight in cold water.
- If you have leftover chicken and/or bones from a cooked chicken, these can be added at step 3 to provide additional flavour to the stock and can replace one of the stock cubes. Remember to remove the bones at the end of the cooking time.
- Optional poached chicken breasts - I like to add poached chicken at step 3. Poach them the night before, after soaking the broth mix. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to a saucepan on a high heat along with one of the chicken stock cubes and 500ml cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes (turning once, halfway through cooking). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool on a plate before shredding. Store in an airtight container overnight in the fridge, ready to add at step 3 of the recipe. Reserve the stock that the chicken was poached in and add it at step 3 along with the other 4 stock cubes and 1.5 litres of boiling water.
- As the soup cooks, it will thicken due to the ingredients in the broth mix. Add extra boiling water as required to thin the soup down to your preferred consistency. I added 1 litre of water at step 4, after the kale was added and then once the soup had cooled for portioning up some for the freezer, I added another litre as it had thickened again. It’s Great Scot vegetable broth mix that I use.
- This soup freezes well. Freeze in portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost as needed and either heat up in the microwave or on the hob.
- Replace the chicken stock cubes with vegetable ones for a vegetarian soup.
- This chicken and vegetable broth recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - you can easily adapt this recipe for the slow cooker. Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. If using raw chicken, make sure it is fully cooked before serving.
Feel free to customise the vegetables in this broth! You can use sweet potatoes, spinach, or courgette. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time based on how quickly the vegetables cook.
Yes - you can omit the chicken and use vegetable stock or water as the base. Add hearty vegetables like mushrooms and potatoes to make the broth more filling while keeping it vegetarian.
Serve this broth with a side of crusty bread, savoury scones, or crackers.
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HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE BROTH
Ingredients
- 200g vegetable broth mix (see Tips)
- 2 large chicken breasts, poached (optional - see Tips)
- 250g carrot, diced small
- 250g swede, diced small
- 2 leeks (approx. 440g), finely sliced and washed
- 4 or 5 chicken stock cubes (see Tips)
- 2 litres boiling water, plus extra as needed (see Tips)
- 75g kale, stalks removed and finely chopped
- 12.5g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- The day before making the soup - soak the vegetable broth mix in a bowl of cold water overnight.
- The next day - drain and rinse the soaked vegetable broth mix in a sieve.
- In a large stockpot add the broth mix, carrot, swede, leeks, stock cubes, and water. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally and remove any scum from around the edges. As the soup cooks and thickens, add more boiling water to thin it down to your preferred consistency. Add leftover chicken and/or bones, or shredded poached chicken now, if using.
- Add the chopped kale and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, remove any scum, and add more boiling water if required.
- Then add the chopped parsley and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, remove any scum, and add more boiling water if required.
- Season to taste and enjoy with some homemade bread.
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Chicken and Vegetable Broth
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) vegetable broth mix (see Notes)
- 2 large chicken breasts (approx 450g to 500g) poached (optional - see Tips)
- 250 g (2 cups) carrot diced small
- 250 g (2 cups) swede diced small
- 2 leeks (approx. 440g) finely sliced and washed
- 4 or 5 chicken stock cubes (see Notes)
- 2 (8 ½ cups) litres boiling water plus extra as needed (see Notes)
- 75 g (3 ½ cups) kale stalks removed and finely chopped
- 12.5 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- The day before making the soup - soak the vegetable broth mix in a bowl of cold water overnight.
- The next day - drain and rinse the soaked vegetable broth mix in a sieve.
- In a large stockpot add the broth mix, carrot, swede, leeks, stock cubes, and water. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally and remove any scum from around the edges. As the soup cooks and thickens, add more boiling water to thin it down to your preferred consistency. Add leftover chicken and/or bones, or shredded poached chicken now, if using.
- Add the chopped kale and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, remove any scum, and add more boiling water if required.
- Then add the chopped parsley and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, remove any scum, and add more boiling water if required.
- Season to taste and enjoy with some homemade bread.
Notes
- Note: the vegetable broth mix needs to be soaked overnight in cold water.
- If you have leftover chicken and/or bones from a cooked chicken, these can be added at step 3 to provide additional flavour to the stock and can replace one of the stock cubes. Remember to remove the bones at the end of the cooking time.
- Optional poached chicken breasts - I like to add poached chicken at step 3. Poach them the night before, after soaking the broth mix. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to a saucepan on a high heat along with one of the chicken stock cubes and 500ml cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes (turning once, halfway through cooking). Remove the chicken and set aside to cool on a plate before shredding. Store in an airtight container overnight in the fridge, ready to add at step 3 of the recipe. Reserve the stock that the chicken was poached in and add it at step 3 along with the other 4 stock cubes and 1.5 litres of boiling water.
- As the soup cooks, it will thicken due to the ingredients in the broth mix. Add extra boiling water as required to thin the soup down to your preferred consistency. I added 1 litre of water at step 4 after the kale was added and then once the soup had cooled for portioning up some for the freezer, I added another litre as it had thickened again. It’s Great Scot vegetable broth mix that I use.
- This soup freezes well. Freeze in portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost as needed and either heat up in the microwave or on the hob.
- Replace the chicken stock cubes with vegetable ones for a vegetarian soup.
- This chicken and vegetable broth recipe is easily halved if you're cooking for less people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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