How to Make Chicken Broth

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For the best, most delicious homemade Chicken Broth recipe, start with a whole raw chicken or chicken pieces and simple vegetables and herbs. At the end of it, you’ll have 4 cups of delicious cooked chicken and 2 quarts of the best chicken broth you’ve ever tasted. Freeze it for your future soups, stews, and casseroles.

Homemade chicken broth in a jar on a plate.


 

One of life’s simple pleasures is poaching a whole chicken. Here we do it to make homemade broth, but you can also do it to make chicken – and either way, you get both!

In my opinion, this is a fun, relaxing Sunday ritual that more people should try. We are always so busy on the weekends, and poaching a chicken forces you to press pause. It’s fulfilling to create with your hands, so enjoy the moments you chop your veggies and pull spices off their sprigs. You are creating something.

At the end, you’ll have big batch of broth that’s perfect for soups, sauces, and even gravy. And of course, you’ll have the chicken. It’s perfect in Chicken Tinga, Chicken Salad, or in a chicken soup recipe. Whether it’s Chicken Noodle Soup with chunks of tender chicken or creamy Chicken Soup with Wild Rice, nothing beats this cozy bowl of homemade comfort.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled chicken broth ingredients in bowls.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken: This recipe uses a whole raw chicken or the equivalent of cut-up pieces (you can do 4 to 5 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, thighs, drumsticks, necks, wings, whatever!).
  • Organ meats: The heart and gizzard can be added to the broth if desired, but the liver should be discarded or reserved for another purpose.
  • Cold water: Always start with cold water. This helps keep the broth clear, not cloudy. The amount of water used and the length of simmering time will determine the intensity of the broth.
  • Vegetables: Some cooks save old vegetable trimmings to add to their broth. I prefer to start with new, fresh vegetables because I think the broth will taste better. So yes, we peel the carrots, and save your vegetable scraps for composting!
  • Herbs and spices: A sachet is a fancy term for parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and optionally, garlic or cloves, tied up in a piece of cheesecloth with twine. You could also use a tea ball or loose-leaf tea bag to hold them. It makes it easier to pull these small ingredients out of the broth later. Or, you can just add everything straight to the pot since you strain the broth at the end.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. To a Dutch oven or large stock pot, add chicken and cold water to cover (see note 3). Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and skim the foam off the top of the liquid with a spoon.
Fat being scooped off the top of chicken broth in a silver pot.
  1. To the pot add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. If desired, tie parsley stems, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns to make a sachet or add loosely to the pot.
Chicken broth ingredients in water in a silver pot.
  1. Simmer gently (bubbles should barely break the surface at irregular intervals) until the chicken is cooked through, at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours. The longer the broth simmers, the more flavor it will have. (NOTE: After 1 hour, you should remove the chicken breasts from the pot to prevent them from drying out).
Chicken broth ingredients in water in a silver pot.
  1. Remove chicken from pan to a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl. Separate chicken, discarding skin and bones (you should have about 4 cups chicken).
Pieces of chicken on parchment paper.
  1. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Place in a large bowl and chill covered overnight in the refrigerator.
Chicken broth ingredients in a strainer over a clear bowl of chicken broth.
  1. The next day, scrape off the accumulated fat from the top of the stock and discard. Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (leaving at least 1/2-inch for expansion), label, and freeze. Or, refrigerate and use within 4 days.
Chicken fat being scooped off of the top of chicken broth.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups (2 quarts) homemade chicken broth. You’ll also get 4 cups cooked chicken in the process.
  • Refrigerate: Store chicken broth in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
  • Freezer: Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (I like to use 16-ounce glass jars, but freezer bags work too) and leave 1/2-inch head space for expansion. Label and date, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Leftover roasted chicken carcass: To make chicken broth from a roasted chicken, I recommend adding the leftover roast chicken carcass to a pot with raw chicken. If you boil just a leftover roasted chicken carcass on its own, the broth will be thin and lack body and flavor.
Homemade chicken broth in a jar on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between chicken broth or chicken stock?

Technically, stock is made with just bones, while broth is made with bones and meat.

What can be used for chicken broth?

You can flavor your broth with vegetables, herbs, and spices. If you don’t have much time or patience, add just a clove of garlic, a sliver of onion, and salt.

Can I drink chicken broth by itself?

Yes, absolutely! Plain chicken broth is an absolutely delicious drink. If you want to spruce up your cup of cozy broth, try hot sauce, fresh lemon juice, and some fresh cilantro sprigs.

Do I really need chicken broth?

If your recipe calls for chicken broth, it’s looking for that extra savory flavor. You could substitute bouillon paste or cubes which will give you the same effect. But in some cases, depending on the recipe, you don’t absolutely need chicken broth and could just substitute water. But, you’ll lose flavor that way. It just depends on what you are cooking.

Put your chicken broth to work

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Homemade chicken broth in a jar on a plate.

How to Make Chicken Broth

For the best, most delicious homemade bone broth, start with a whole raw chicken or chicken pieces and simple vegetables and herbs. At the end of it, you'll have 4 cups of delicious cooked chicken and 2 quarts of the best chicken broth you've ever tasted.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Course Pantry, Soup
Cuisine French
Calories 13
5 from 115 votes

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 4 to 5 pound whole chicken cut into pieces and giblets removed (see note 1 & 2)
  • Cold water about 12 cups (see note 3)
  • 1 medium onion peeled and halved
  • 1 large carrot peeled and coarsely chopped, or 2 medium carrots (see note 4)
  • 1 celery rib coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Sachet (see note 5):

Instructions 

  • To a Dutch oven or large stock pot, add chicken and cold water to cover (see note 3).
  • Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and skim the foam off the top.
  • To the pot add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. If desired, tie parsley stems, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns to make a sachet or add loosely to the pot (see note 5).
  • Simmer gently (bubbles should barely break the surface at irregular intervals) until the chicken is cooked through, at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours. The longer the broth simmers, the more flavor it will have. (NOTE: After 1 hour, you should remove the chicken breasts from the pot to prevent them from drying out).
  • Remove chicken from pot to a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl. Separate chicken, discarding skin and bones (you should have about 4 cups chicken).
  • Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Place in a large bowl and chill covered overnight in the refrigerator.
  • The next day, scrape off the accumulated fat from the top of the stock and discard. Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (leaving at least 1/2-inch for expansion), label, and freeze. Or, refrigerate and use within 4 days.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Chicken: This recipe uses a whole raw chicken or the equivalent of cut-up pieces (you can do 4 to 5 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, thighs, drumsticks, necks, whatever!).
  2. Organ meats: The heart and gizzard can be added to the broth if desired, but the liver should be discarded or reserved for another purpose.
  3. Cold water: Always start with cold water. This helps keep the broth clear, not cloudy. The amount of water used and the length of simmering time will determine the intensity of the broth.
  4. Vegetables: Some cooks save old vegetable trimmings to add to their broth. I prefer to start with new, fresh vegetables because I think the broth will taste better. So yes, we peel the carrots, and save your vegetable scraps for composting!
  5. Herbs and spices: A sachet is a fancy term for parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and optionally, garlic or cloves, tied up in a piece of cheesecloth with twine. You could also use a tea ball or loose leaf tea bag to hold them. It makes it easier to pull these small ingredients out of the broth later. Or, you can just add everything straight to the pot since you strain the broth at the end.
  6. Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups (2 quarts) homemade chicken broth. You’ll also get 4 cups cooked chicken in the process.
  7. Storage: Store chicken broth in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 13kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 884mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1589IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

    1. Hi Noori, I just emailed tech support about the pin-it button for Pinterest. It should be there, but you can’t find it, something must be busted. I’m so sorry about that. To your question, the cooked chicken can and should be used in other recipes. Chicken Salad, we have chicken tinga on the site which is great if you like Mexican food, or any number of various chicken soups, salads, or casseroles. Also any recipe that uses leftover turkey could obviously be made with chicken. I could dump a bunch of links here but I don’t want to do that unless you want them. Well maybe just a couple. I hope this helps! Thanks Noori! -Meggan
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/mexican-chicken-soup/
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/creamy-chicken-mushroom-and-wild-rice-soup-recipe/
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/chicken-pot-pie-recipe/
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/chicken-tetrazzini/
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/chicken-tinga/ (in this one, you skip the part of boiling the whole chicken and just proceed to make the sauce)
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/thai-chicken-salad/
      https://www.culinaryhill.com/mango-chicken-bowl/

  1. Home made chicken broth.
    Your pictures show storing the broth in Mason jars. To store the broth in canning jars, do you need to pressure can the broth or cold pack the broth?
    Or would you pour the broth immediately into the jars after removing the chicken and straining the veggies? Then seal with the lids.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Kris! I do show the broth in mason jars but I always always always freeze the broth; I never can it that way. I am not a canning expert, although I keep the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving on hand for questions like this. My understanding is, broths and stocks are considered low-acid foods so they need to be canned at a higher temperature. You absolutely would need to use a pressure canner, not just a water bath, and get the temperature to 240 degrees. And, you need to use a recipe that has been tested for canning and mine has not. So I don’t recommend you can this recipe, it hasn’t been professionally tested for that and I don’t want you to get sick. So sorry about that and thank you! I will update the post to say that you should not can my recipe. Thanks again. -Meggan

  2. I have plenty of drumsticks but no cleaver for chopping bones… Do drumsticks or chicken legs need to be broken into pieces or is that small enough? I’m also curious if I didn’t add any vegetables or spices if this would be suitable as a bone broth for fasting?

    1. Hi Chris, the legs can be left in tact, it’s not a problem. In regards to fasting, I’m not a nutritionist or a dietician, so I can’t say whether or not this would be appropriate for fasting. Sorry! I would recommend following a recipe that is written by an expert in that area. Sorry again! – Meggan

    1. Hi Pj, thank you for your concern. I cover this in the post:

      “To make chicken broth from a roasted chicken, I recommend adding the leftover roast chicken carcass to a pot with raw chicken. If you boil just a leftover roasted chicken carcass on its own, the broth will be thin and lack body and flavor.”

      Also, the cooked bird yields about 4 cups of chicken, which can be used for other recipes (also in the post). I hope you try this recipe and love making your own broth! – Meggan

    1. Thank you for writing, Beth! It’s such a great way to use a whole chicken. I’m so happy you enjoyed it! – Meggan

  3. Thanks for this recipe. I stumbled on it while getting ready to prepare chicken and dressing for Thanksgiving. I use my wife’s grandmother’s recipe and have used it for several years now to make the dressing. I worry over doing the dish justice and worry a little over every bit of the process. The recipe calls for chicken in broth. It doesn’t give any other specifics concerning how you arrive at this component, but I am almost certain this was a homemade ingredient. In years past, I have come about the chicken and broth different ways using various mixtures of my own “broth” and chicken to using canned sources for both the chicken and the broth. Sometimes this was out of necessity of the circumstances (like being asked to make it last minute with no time or place to shop) or just being ill prepared. This year, I used the recipe here to prepare my chicken and broth, and I wound up with the best overall results for the dressing that I may have ever managed. It’s always been pretty good, but the flavor this time was richer without anything being overpowering. I also have a few jars of broth left over for other purposes including a quick chicken noodle soup on the day I made it.5 stars

    1. You’re so welcome, Derek! I completely understand the want and the pressure to do a family-favorite recipe justice. I’m so happy that the dressing turned out well! Thank you for taking the time to write and share. I hope you have a great weekend, and wonderful future Thanksgiving meals! – Meggan

    2. To Derek. Would it be possible to post your dressing recipe here? Your dressing sounds scrumptious! Thanks, if you can. Carol

  4. I’ve always shied away from making chicken broth – seemed too complex and time consuming Tried your method today and it was easy and the time it took was worth it. thanksgiving dinner will be a lil extra special and we have plenty of shredded chicken to tie us over for a day or two.

    Thanks so much.5 stars

    1. You’re so welcome, Millie! Thank you for trusting my recipe! I’m so happy you found it easy to make. I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! Take care! – Meggan

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