Soup is a staple this time of year and having homemade chicken stock on hand serves as a flavorful and wholesome base for any soup you make. Try this recipe for making stock just like how grandma used to make it using leftover chicken carcasses, vegetables, fresh herbs, and spices. This recipe is great for using leftover roasted chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken too.
Jump to:
- Why Make Your Own Chicken Stock
- What's The Difference Between Stock and Broth
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Best Substitutes for Homemade Chicken Stock
- What Is Chicken Stock Used For
- How To Make Chicken Stock Concentrate
- How To Store Chicken Stock
- Recipes That Use Homemade Chicken Stock
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews
Why Make Your Own Chicken Stock
A homemade chicken stock offers many nutritional benefits since you have full control over the ingredients, especially if you're using natural and organic products free from preservatives or additives.
Adding chicken stock that is homemade to your recipes will elevate the flavor profile of your dishes bringing out the healthiest and freshest of flavors.
What's The Difference Between Stock and Broth
- Bones: The key difference between stock and broth is that stock uses the bones of the meat, whereas, broth just uses the meat, when simmering.
- Flavor: Another difference is in the flavor. Since the stock is simmered in water for longer hours with bones, vegetables, herbs, and spices, it will be more robust, healthier, and more concentrated. On the other hand, you'll need to add more seasoning to the broth, to give it more flavor.
- Color: The color is another differentiator between the stock and broth. Stock will be darker and richer while the broth will be lighter and less concentrated.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken carcass: for a rich flavor use leftover Roasted Chicken or rotisserie chicken bones.
- Aromatics: Garlic and Onion - skin and all just throw them all in the stock pot, it gives the stock its beautiful golden color. Other aromatics can be ginger, lemongrass, and scallions, just to name a few.
- Vegetables: Carrots and Celery. You can use any other vegetables you want. See the cooking tip below.
- Herbs and Spices: Black Peppercorns, Salt, and Dry Laurel Leaf. Also, use whatever types of herbs and spices to make chicken stock.
- Cider Vinegar: a spoonful results in a richer flavor profile, so don't skip this ingredient
COOKING TIP: Anytime you are doing any food prep for cooking, make a habit of having a bowl, stockpot, or plastic bag nearby you can use to collect any peels, throw away ends or tops, bones, or any parts of an ingredient you were going to toss away. All of these will come in handy when making stock or broth.
Best Substitutes for Homemade Chicken Stock
If you don't have homemade chicken stock readily available, the following substitutes can work just as well.
- Regular Chicken Broth: will be more watery, compared to homemade chicken stock which will be more gelatinous.
- Vegetable Stock: perfect for vegan or vegetarian dishes.
- Bone Broth: this will be very rich in flavor and collagen so use this for more decadent types of dishes.
- Bouillon Cubes: can also be dissolved in water to make broth.
What Is Chicken Stock Used For
Chicken stock can be used as a base for soup, sauces, rice or pasta dishes, and gravy.
How To Make Chicken Stock Concentrate
STEP 1: Place all ingredients in a Dutch oven then add enough water to the pot to cover all ingredients.
STEP 2: Let the stock simmer on low heat for anywhere from 4 to 24 hours.
Please refer to the recipe card below for more thorough instructions on how to make homemade chicken stock.
How To Store Chicken Stock
After the stock has cooled, strain all the bones and vegetables.
Divide the chicken stock into plastic baggies and freeze for later use. I like to store them in quart-size bags. This size works perfectly when using the stock for soups.
You can also use ice cube trays to freeze the chicken stock. One ice cube is approximately one ounce, which is equivalent to two tablespoons. This size works perfectly for making sauces and gravy.
Note that you can freeze the chicken stock for 2 to 3 months for the best quality.
If you will be using the chicken stock within 2 to 3 days of preparing it, you can store the chicken stock in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator.
Recipes That Use Homemade Chicken Stock
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📖 Recipe Card
Ingredients
- leftover bones and pan drippings
- 1 whole garlic clove
- 1 medium onion with skin on
- 3 medium sized carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon Organic Cider vinegar
- 1 dry laurel leaf optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or stockpot, place chicken bones and pan drippings, garlic clove, whole onion, carrots, celery, whole black peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and laurel leaf. Add enough water to the pot to cover all of the ingredients, leaving one inch from the top of the pot.
- Place the Dutch oven on medium high heat, uncovered, and let it boil. Using a strainer or meshed ladle, skim the foam from the stock, then lower heat to simmer, and cover the pot. Continue to skim the foam from the stock every few minutes for about an hour, until stock is clear off foam.
- Let the stock simmer in very low heat for a minimum of 4 hours up to 12 or maybe even 24 hours. I'm old school and I let my stock simmer on top of the stove for 24 hours.
- After your desired time of simmering the stock, you can let it cool then strain. I let mine cool in the fridge. This allows me to be able to skim the solidified fat which forms on the top of the stock. An added healthy benefit! Then I strain all the bones and veggies.
Notes
- NOTE:Using the onion with the skin on gives the stock a nice golden color. If you want clear chicken stock, then leave the skin off the onion.
- Peeling the carrots gives the broth a sweeter taste.
- Leaving the carrots unpeeled, gives the broth a golden color and provides more nutrients, especially if using organic carrots.
- Divide up the stock in ziplock baggies and freeze for later use.
Nutrition
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Lori
Thank you for sharing this. Tried it for the first time and it made the best chicken stock. No more store bought chicken stock for me!