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Home » Course » Dinner » Homemade Chicken Stock

Published: Sep 10, 2020 · Modified: Jan 30, 2021 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

Homemade Chicken Stock

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Forget about buying broth at the store. Make your own homemade chicken stock, using leftover bones, vegetables, and herbs. You will have rich, flavorful, and nutritious stock that you can use in soups, risotto, stews, and many other meals.

Homemade Chicken Stock in Mason jars.

If you used to buy chicken broth at the store, you will never do it again after trying this recipe. Homemade chicken stock tastes so much better than store-bought and is packed with nutrients. In addition, it’s super easy to make and you can use your leftover bones and vegetable scraps, so nothing goes to waste!

Chicken Stock vs Chicken Broth

You probably noticed that some recipes call for broth, while others for stock. Though they are quite interchangeable, there is a difference between these two.

Chicken broth is usually made with chicken meat and cooked for a shorter period of time. The stock is made using the bones, simmering them for a longer period of time. This technique provides greater richness to the flavor.

Chicken stock is usually made with 4 main components:

  • chicken bones (can use rotisserie chicken carcass)
  • vegetables or vegetable scraps
  • fresh herbs
  • water

After you simmer it for 2-4 hours, you will end up with a rich and flavorful stock.

Celety, carrots, onion, parsley on a wooden plate.

What chicken shall I use?

I prefer to make this stock using a carcass from a whole roasted chicken (check out my recipe for How to Roast a Whole Chicken). It provides good flavor from the leftover meat and the richness from the bones.

If you don’t have a whole bird, you can substitute with chicken legs or wings (or any other parts with the bones), but I would highly suggest to roast them before making the stock. After it’s roasted, you can pick out the meat and set it aside for some other recipes, then use the bones for the stock.

Chicken carcass in a blue pot.

How to make Chicken Stock

Put the chicken carcass in a large pot.

Add all the vegetables and herbs (onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns).

Cover everything with water (about 10-12 cups).

Chicken carcass, chopped onion, carrots, celery, parsley in a blue pot.

Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 2-4 hours.

Add some salt to taste about 30 minutes before the stock is done.

When done, remove large bones and vegetables. Then strain the rest through a fine mesh into a bowl.

Let the broth cool off, then transfer to mason jars or air-tight containers and refrigerate.

Cooked chicken bones with vegetables in a mesh to strain chicken stock.

Tips for best results

  • Using roasted chicken bones provides deeper flavor then if you’d use just meat.
  • If you don’t have a carcass and use other parts of meat, make sure you roast or at least brown them before using in the stock for more flavor.
  • Keep the onion skin on, it will add beautiful color to the stock.
  • The longer you simmer on low heat, the more flavor you’ll have.
Homemade Chicken Stock in Mason jars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rotisserie chicken bones?

Yes! It will work great for this recipe.

Can I use vegetable scraps?

This is a great recipe to use pretty much any vegetables or vegetable scraps you have on hands, like carrot peels, onion skin, parsley stems, green onions, parsnip, garlic, etc.

How long does it last in the fridge?

After the stock is done, cool it off and then transfer to a mason jar or an air-tight container You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to freeze?

If you are not planning on using the same week, you can freeze for up to 2-3 months. I like to portion it by 2 or 4 cups for easier use. Make sure you leave at least ½-inch space on top as the liquid will expand when frozen.

How can I use it?

There are so many ways you can use this stock, like in soups, risotto, stews, and more. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to use this stock:
• Instanpot Chicken Soup
• Chicken Stew Recipe
•
Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
•
One Pot Chicken and Rice
•
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
•
Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs
•
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
•
Instant Pot Alfredo Penne
•
Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

Homemade Chicken Stock in Mason jars.
Homemade Chicken Stock in Mason jars.
Print Recipe
3 from 1 vote

Homemade Chicken Stock

Forget about buying broth at the store. Make your own homemade chicken stock, using leftover bones, vegetables, and herbs. You will have rich, flavorful, and nutritious stock that you can use in soups, risotto, stews, and many other meals.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time3 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 223kcal
Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken carcass
  • 1 large onion unpeeled, cut in quarters
  • 3 large carrots unpeeled, cut in halves
  • 2 celery ribs cut in halves
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 5-10 springs fresh thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 5-10 whole black peppercorns
  • 1-2 tablespoons salt
  • 10-12 cups water

Instructions

  • Put the chicken carcass in a large pot.
  • Add all the vegetables and herbs (onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns).
  • Cover everything with water (about 10-12 cups).
  • Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 2-4 hours.
  • Add some salt to taste about 30 minutes before the stock is done.
  • When done, remove large bones and vegetables. Then strain the rest through a fine mesh into a bowl.
  • Let the broth cool off, then transfer to mason jars or air-tight containers and refrigerate.

Notes

  • Using roasted chicken bones provides deeper flavor then if you’d use just meat.
  • If you don’t have a carcass and use other parts of meat, make sure you roast or at least brown them before using in the stock for more flavor.
  • This is a great recipe to use pretty much any vegetables or vegetable scraps you have on hands, like carrot peels, onion skin, parsley stems, green onions, parsnip, garlic, etc.
  • Keep the onion skin on, it will add beautiful color to the stock.
  • The longer you simmer on low heat, the more flavor you’ll have.
Refrigerate. After the stock is done, cool it off and then transfer to a mason jar or an air-tight container You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze. If you are not planning on using the same week, you can freeze for up to 2-3 months. I like to portion it by 2 or 4 cups for easier use. Make sure you leave at least ½-inch space on top as the liquid will expand when frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 975mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4585IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jennifer says

    November 15, 2024 at 2:56 pm

    3 stars
    I’m actually really curious that you don’t direct to skim the scum that comes as it starts to viol. I have always skimmed the scum and then simmered.

    Reply

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