Homemade Chicken Broth

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Don't toss out those chicken carcasses! A simple combination of a chicken carcass or parts, veggies, and herbs creates a healthy, delicious homemade chicken broth. Freeze some to use in homemade soups.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time2 10

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken broth, chicken stock, homemade stock, how do I make my own chicken stock, make your own stock

Servings: cups

Calories: 16kcal

Author: Rachel Tiemeyer

Equipment

Ingredients

1-2 chicken carcasses or 3-4 lbs chicken parts, like necks
1 large onion quartered
4 carrots roughly chopped
4 stalks of celery roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
1-2 fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs
handful of fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns optional
About 10-12 cups water enough to cover all ingredients

Instructions

Add Ingredients: Place the chicken carcass/parts, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh herbs, bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough water to cover the carcass in a large stock pot or in a 6+ quart slow cooker or Instant Pot. (Note: For the Instant Pot, be sure to not fill beyond the Fill Line.)
Cook: Use one of these methods:
-- Stovetop: Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours.
-- Crockpot: Cover with the lid and slow cook for 8-12 hours on low (or 4-6 hours on high).
-- Instant Pot: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes with a quick release.
Strain: Using a colander/strainer over a large bowl or pot, strain out the solids from the broth. Let cool on the counter up to 2 hours only (then must be refrigerated to be safe!).
Store: Either refrigerate and use within 3-5 days or see freezer instructions below.

Video

Notes

Can You Use a Turkey Instead? Absolutely! You can use your leftover turkey carcass to make delicious Turkey Stock instead.
Use your broth to stock up on Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup so you can avoid the additives in canned versions.
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read my full review here.
How To Thaw Broth: Thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours or using the defrost setting on the microwave.

Nutrition