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Delicious, nutritious chicken bone broth is easier to make than you might think! If you love reducing food waste and getting the most out of food, you'll love this chicken stock recipe. Using only chicken bones and vegetable scraps, this stock is so good, you'll forget all about store-bought cartons!
Jump to:
- Chicken Broth from Bones
- Chicken Broth vs Bone Broth
- What Makes Chicken Bone Broth Great
- Chicken Stock Ingredients
- Using Vegetable Scraps
- How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
- Easy Stock Recipes
- Chicken Stock Recipe Tips
- How to Cool Stock Quickly
- Storing and Reheating Chicken Stock
- Chicken Bone Broth Recipe FAQ
- What to Make with Chicken Stock
- Chicken Bone Broth
- Reviews
Chicken Broth from Bones
If you know me, you know I don't like to waste anything when I'm cooking. I've talked about it before, but nothing bothers me more than throwing out food! And chief among those easily-wasted ingredients is chicken bones. I swear, it hurts my heart to see them thrown away!
By saving up those chicken bones and tossing them in a pot with some simple veggies and seasonings, you can make your own rich and hearty chicken bone broth. This isn't your average chicken broth; it's thick and flavorful and loaded with good stuff. Bone broth is something totally unique!
Chicken Broth vs Bone Broth
They're both called "broth", so what's the difference? Bone broth is made by simmering chicken bones for a long time, until all the incredible flavors and nutrients are pulled out. The act of simmering the bones for this long also helps thicken the stock by absorbing collagen from the bones, which makes it a great base for soups, stews, and gravy recipes.
Regular broth, on the other hand, is made only using the meat and no bones. It's much thinner and tends to have less flavor, but also takes only minutes to make, rather than the hours it takes to make a good bone broth. But I'm telling you, the wait is worth it!
What Makes Chicken Bone Broth Great
- Reduces food waste!
- Delicious, while making the most of all of the nutrients in chicken!
- Perfect for all sorts of soups and sauces!
- Freezes well for big batches!
- No-hassle process; set and forget!
Chicken Stock Ingredients
- Chicken bones: You can use the carcass of a whole roast chicken, drumsticks, wing bones from fried chicken wings, or any other chicken bone, be they raw or cooked. I like to save up bones in a bag in the freezer until I have enough.
- Water: You'll need a lot of water! I tend to prefer using filtered water, as the long cook time will strengthen any taste the water has.
- Apple cider vinegar: Just a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar is all it takes to add a unique tang that adds great dimension to the stock. The vinegar is also helpful in breaking down the bones.
- Kosher salt: Store-bought stock is already heavily salted, sometimes to excessive degrees. Adding your own lets you control the flavor.
- Whole peppercorns: You'll be straining it out later, so make sure to use whole peppercorns, not ground or cracked pepper.
- Yellow onion: A whole yellow onion sliced in two adds sweetness to the stock that perfectly complements the chicken.
- Celery: A must-add in stocks! The savory, complex flavor of celery mellows out into something extra delicious when boiled.
- Carrots: Like onions, carrots add sweetness and earthiness to the stock. Don't worry about chopping them nicely; you can toss them in sliced into big chunks.
- Garlic cloves: Whole garlic cloves are best, as they strain out more easily than diced.
- Oregano: If you can find it, use fresh oregano! Otherwise, dried will taste great, too. Just be careful and don't overdo it, as it has a powerful flavor.
- Bay leaves: Due to the high cook time, the bay leaves will truly shine.
- Fresh thyme: Fresh thyme is pretty much a must, as it has a much better flavor than dried. Add whole sprigs to infuse the stock with as much flavor as possible.
Using Vegetable Scraps
Instead of fresh vegetables, you can also use vegetable scraps! Save up scraps like carrot peels and tops, potato skins, the papers and off-cuts from onions, and the stems from fresh herbs, then pop them in a bag in the freezer. Once it's time to make stock, use the scraps instead of fresh veggies!
How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
1: Cook the Bones
Note: if you're using bones from a cooked chicken, skip this step!
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet, then place the chicken bones on it, and cook for 20 minutes.
2: Prepare the Stock
Place your cooked chicken bones inside a large pot. Pour in cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
3: Simmer
Add in water to cover fully. Bring to a light boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 8 hours, skimming the fat occasionally off the top. Add more water if needed.
4: Strain
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard any solids and strain the remainder in a bowl through a colander or, ideally, a fine-mesh strainer.
5: Flash-cool and Store
Place the pot or bowl of broth in an ice bath in the sink to cool it as quickly as possible, then store, and enjoy!
Easy Stock Recipes
Chicken Stock Recipe Tips
- You can use any chicken bones for this stock. I like to save a bag in the freezer full of bones from chicken thighs, rotisserie chickens, and whole roast chicken. Once I've got enough, it's time for stock!
- You'll want to very thoroughly strain the stock once it's all cooked, as the long cook time means that the ingredients will be completely broken down and finely shredded.
- Don't mix the stock once it starts cooking! Just skim off the fat with a slotted spoon or strainer. If you keep stirring it, it can start getting cloudy.
- It's super important to cool the stock very quickly. If you let it cool to room temperature by just sitting out, it will linger at an unsafe temperature for too long, promoting bacterial growth.
- If you're making rotisserie chicken bone broth, cut back on the amount of salt, as rotisserie chicken is already highly salted.
- You can make this broth with other sorts of bone, too! Swap the chicken out for beef bones (I like saving short rib bones!) or pork bones and it will be just as delicious! I've also made broth from ham bones and turkey carcass soup.
How to Cool Stock Quickly
Stock can be very quickly cooled using an ice bath! To do this, fill the sink with cold water and as many ice cubes as possible. Then place the stock pot directly into the sink, replacing ice cubes as necessary. This will rapidly lower the temperature, letting you store it safely!
Storing and Reheating Chicken Stock
It's a little known fact that stock doesn't last very long in the fridge! Once placed in the refrigerator, it will only last about 7 days.
The best way to store homemade stock is by freezing it! I like to freeze it in jars or plastic containers, leaving a half inch of space at the top for expansion. Alternatively, you can freeze it in ice cube trays and pop the stock cubes into a bag so you can get out just as many as you need! Thaw stock in the microwave, on the stove, or in the fridge overnight.
Chicken Bone Broth Recipe FAQ
Yes! You can absolutely make slow cooker chicken bone broth. Follow the recipe instructions, but instead of placing everything in a pot, place them in a slow cooker and set it to HIGH heat. High heat keeps the stock at a good boil, so it's perfect for stock.
Because of its naturally thicker consistency and very high amounts of nutrients and protein, it's perfect for chicken soup, chicken gravy, and turning into all manner of delicious sauces. You can even warm it up and sip it on cold days; it's great for clearing sinuses and giving you a boost of protein and salt. I've included a list below with my personal favorite recipes!
What to Make with Chicken Stock
- Creamy Chicken Polenta
- Melting Potatoes
- Mushroom Gravy Pork Chops
- Creamy Chicken and Leeks
- Chicken Noodle Soup
Do you have favorite ways to use chicken stock? I'd love to hear from you all! Personally, I'm always learning new ways to make use of it!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Chicken Bone Broth
Equipment
- Large pot 8 qt at least
- Baking sheet if using raw bones
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken bones - about 1 whole chicken
- 14-16 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Whole peppercorns
- 1 large Yellow onion - halved
- 3 stalks Celery - cut into thirds
- 3 Carrots - peeled & halved
- 2 cloves Garlic - halved
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 2 Bay leaves
- 6-8 sprigs Thyme - fresh
Instructions
- If you are using bones from a cooked chicken, skip this step! Place bones on a lined-rimmed baking sheet and roast in your oven at 400°F for 20 minutes.2 lbs Chicken bones
- Once prepared, place your chicken bones inside a large pot. Pour in cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, yellow onion, celery, carrots, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar,1 teaspoon Kosher salt,1 teaspoon Whole peppercorns,1 large Yellow onion,3 stalks Celery,3 Carrots,2 cloves Garlic,1 teaspoon Oregano,2 Bay leaves,6-8 sprigs Thyme
- Add in water to cover fully. Bring to a light boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 8 hours, skimming the fat occasionally off the top.14-16 cups Water
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard any solids and strain the remainder in a bowl through a strainer.
- Let the stock cool to room temperature using an ice bath in the sink before storing it!
Notes
- You can use any chicken bones for this stock. I like to save a bag in the freezer full of bones from chicken thighs, rotisserie chickens, and whole roast chicken. Once I've got enough, it's time for stock!
- You'll want to very thoroughly strain the stock once it's all cooked, as the long cook time means that the ingredients will be completely broken down and finely shredded.
- Don't mix the stock once it starts cooking! Just skim off the fat with a slotted spoon or strainer. If you keep stirring it, it can start getting cloudy.
- It's super important to cool the stock very quickly. If you let it cool to room temperature by just sitting out, it will linger at an unsafe temperature for too long, promoting bacterial growth.
- If you're making rotisserie chicken bone broth, cut back on the amount of salt, as rotisserie chicken is already highly salted.
- You can make this broth with other sorts of bone, too! Swap the chicken out for beef bones (I like saving short rib bones!) or pork bones and it will be just as delicious!
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