Ingredients
Serves 4
- 6 chicken legs
- 3 tbsp veget
- able oil
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into batons
- 6 spring onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 120g pearl barley
- Handful parsley leaves
- 2 litres chicken stock
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Method
- Start off by placing a large, heavy based saucepan on a high heat. Preheat your oven to 150c. Add the oil and chicken legs skin side down until the skin begins to turn golden brown, season heavily with salt and pepper.
- Once the legs are browned all over, carefully remove them from the pot and place on a tray or plate to rest. Lower the heat slightly and retain the chicken fat in the pan. Throw in your carrots and leeks at this point and let them get a little bit of colour. Cut the spring onions in half, throw the bottom bulbs into the pot and finely slice the green top for garnishing at the end.
- Now add the chicken legs back into the pot on top of the veg, throw in any resting juices as well. Add the chicken stock until everything is just covered, you can also add the mustard, thyme and Worcestershire sauce at this point.
- Bring the broth to the boil then place a lid on the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 1.5 hours until the meat is soft on the bone. Carefully remove the legs and pick off the soft meat, discard the bone and cartilage. Return the meat to the broth along with the barley and cook for a further 20 mins until the barley is soft and has slightly thickened the liquid.
- Adjust seasoning and finish with a handful of parsley leaves and chopped spring onion. Serve in warm bowls.
