Chicken Stock Recipe

Part of the beauty of making chicken stock is precision isn't required, meaning, you don't really need to follow a recipe, but rather use it as a guide. But if you're the type who thrives onj following recipes step-by-step, the recipe below is one you'll return to time and again.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, French

Keyword chicken stock

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings cups

Calories 30kcal

Ingredients

Carcass from a 5-6 pound roasted chicken *
4 carrots , unpeeled and cut into halves
2 ribs celery , cut in half
1 yellow onion , cut into quarters (or leek)
1 head garlic , unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
1 parsnip , unpeeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 bunch Italian parsley
6-10 sprigs fresh thyme
6-10 whole black peppercorns
2-3 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt

Instructions

Stovetop Method

Add the chicken carcass or bones, carrots, celery, onion, garlic halves, and parsnip to a large stockpot. Add cold water, covering the chicken and veggies by at least 1-2 inches—about 12-16 cups of water. Add a handful of the parsley (with leaves and stems intact), thyme sprigs, peppercorns, bay leaves, chicken bouillon cubes, and kosher salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lightly rolling simmer and cook partly covered for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the stock is amber brown and tastes well flavored. Add more salt to taste if necessary.
Turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool or if using immediately, place a large colander over a Pyrex 4-cup glass measuring cup and slowly drain the stock from the rest of the aromatics so the colander catches any veggies or bones that may fall from the pot. Then, use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the stock into your next recipe's soup stockpot.
Or, if storing to use later, strain into 1-quart wide-mouth glass canning jars and cool before adding a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze in gallon bags for up to 6 months.

Instant Pot Method

Place all of the ingredients in the insert of a 6 or 8-quart Instant Pot and add enough water to cover the veggies and bones by 1-2 inches. Select High Pressure or Soup and set the timer for 30 minutes When the timer sounds, use a Natural Pressure release, allow the valve to drop, and carefully remove the lid. Continue with the directions for the stovetop method.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all of the ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker and fill with water until it is 2" below the top. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Continue with the directions for the stovetop method.

Notes

*Chicken carcass: If you don't have a leftover chicken carcass, you can also use bones from 2 bone-in chicken breasts, 2 bone-in chicken thighs, and 2 chicken wings.

To store: Homemade stock will keep stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Signs it's time to discard are when the broth gets cloudy or doesn't pass the smell test.

Don't be alarmed if you see a gelatinous layer of fat form on the top of your stock as it cools in the fridge. Gelatinous has more flavor, and more flavor is good. It's just collagen rendered from the chicken bones, and it also helps preserve the stock while in the refrigerator. However, if you plan on freezing it you'll want to scrape off the fat before doing so.

To freeze: Freeze stock in freezer bags, in 4-cup portions, since that's the amount of stock or broth many soup recipes call for. Fill the bag and lay it flat on a shelf until frozen, then stack it upright like little chicken stock soldiers. Always remember to label and date! Homemade stock will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition