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Homemade chicken broth in a jar on a plate.
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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.
Course Pantry, Soup
Cuisine French
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Calories 13kcal

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.

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: 1cup | Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 884mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1589IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg