There’s nothing like homemade chicken broth slowly simmered, rich and fragrant. Making chicken broth from scratch is so easy and delicious, and once you’ve made your own you won’t be able to go back to store bought. Use it in endless recipes or sip it hot from a mug on a cold day!
There’s nothing like homemade chicken broth also known as liquid gold. A large pot of simmering broth on a cold day is not only comforting but nourishing. It’s perfect for sipping hot in a mug or used in endless recipes that call for chicken broth (see further below for a list of suggestions).
In Italian households, pastina in brodo (small pasta cooked in broth) is commonly referred to as the Italian penicillin. This comfort food is heralded for it’s health benefits known to cure the common cold or any other malaise!
And making your own chicken broth is much easier, not to mention economical, than you think. Just toss chicken pieces, vegetables and aromatics in a large pot, cover with water and simmer for 3 hours.
But first, let me clarify the difference between chicken stock and broth.
What is the difference between chicken broth and stock?
Like many others, I often use these terms interchangeably. And while there is a clear distinction between the two, according to the research I have done, the use of either term is still somewhat muddled.
Chicken broth is made with chicken parts with meat on them, or even a whole chicken itself, along with vegetables with aromatics.
Instead, chicken stock is made with the bones simmered for a very long time to extract all the nutritious elements, especially the collagen, which contributes to creating a thicker liquid.
I have made chicken broth with a whole chicken. And I have also made broth with leftover chicken or turkey carcasses that still have some meat and skin on them, as in this recipe.
So technically, purists may call this recipe chicken stock! However, I always call it broth and choose to do so for the purpose of this recipe post!
Which chicken parts can be used for chicken broth?
- Chicken (or turkey) carcasses
- For this recipe, I used three chicken carcasses (totaling about 4 lbs or 1.8 kg) to make my broth. The carcasses may be raw (you can get these from your butcher) or roasted at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes before adding to your pot.
- You can also use the leftover carcass from a chicken or turkey (like right after Thanksgiving!) that you roasted for dinner.
- If you don’t want to make broth right away or want to wait until you have accumulated several carcasses to make broth with, freeze them. No need to defrost them before making broth. Add to your pot and cover with water.
- A whole chicken: left whole or cut into pieces may be used. If you wish to use the meat for other recipes, I recommend you remove the chicken from the pot after 1 1/2 hours of simmering, remove the meat and return the carcass to the pot to continue simmering. Yes, it does seem tedious however if you leave the meat in the pot for the entire three hours it will be rather dry and tasteless.
- Chicken pieces: such as wings, backs and necks are also ideal for making chicken broth.
Other ingredients added to flavor your broth:
Vegetables: such as onions; carrots; celery; garlic; a ripe tomato (my mom always adds one for color) and leeks (white parts only);
Aromatics play a crucial part in flavoring your broth: fresh or frozen sprigs of parsley; peppercorns; bay leaves; sprigs of thyme; and Parmesan rinds are great choices.
What can I make with chicken broth?
This broth is delicious as is, sipped hot in a mug, or use it in recipes such as:
- Pastina Soup with Tiny Meatballs
- Escarole and Meatball Soup
- Sicilian Arancini
- Lemony Asparagus Risotto
- Barley Risotto with Pesto and Mozzarella
- Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Sage
- Fennel and Leek Risotto
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Place chicken carcasses in large stock pot (I use a 15 liter pot) and top with vegetables (I added carrots, celery, onions and a ripe tomato for color) and aromatics (parsley sprigs; bay leaves; peppercorns and parmesan rind).
- Fill the pot with enough water to cover the ingredients by 1 inch.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours here is what the broth looks like:
- With a fine mesh sieve, scoop out the large chunks of chicken pieces and vegetables. Use the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the extra liquid and goodness out of the vegetables. Compost or discard them.
- Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain the broth into two or more large bowls.
- Once the broth is sufficiently cooled, transfer to freezer safe containers or freezer bags. Refrigerate until completely cooled before placing in the freezer.
- Once cooled, a layer of fat may form on the surface. You may remove it for low-fat broth or leave it. I choose to leave mine for a broth that’s more flavorful.
Recipe Notes
If you have a large stock pot it is worthwhile making a large batch of broth to freeze for future use. However, you can definitely make a smaller batch with any size pot that you have. The basic rule is add your chicken pieces, vegetables; aromatics and enough water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch.
I prefer storing my broth unsalted and then adding salt, as needed, when I use it for a recipe. However if you prefer you may add salt, to taste, to your chicken broth.
-Transfer the broth into containers such as mason jars; take-out style plastic 1 liter containers (as shown) or freezer bags.
-Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
If you are making your broth with raw chicken parts, after it comes to a simmer you may notice scum developing on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to skim this scum off the surface of the broth.
Have you tried this broth recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. chicken carcasses about 3 carcasses
- 2 onions scrubbed clean, with skin on and halved
- 2 carrots halved
- 2 stalks celery halved
- 1 tomato very ripe
- 5-6 sprigs parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 tbsp. peppercorns
- water enough to cover all ingredients (I added 34 cups of water in this recipe)
Instructions
- Place chicken carcasses in large stock pot (I use a 15 liter pot) and top with vegetables and aromatics (parsley sprigs; bay leaves; peppercorns and parmesan rind). Fill the pot with enough water to cover the ingredients by 1 inch. In this recipe I added 34 cups of water.
- Cover and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for 3 hours.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to scoop out the large chunks of chicken pieces and vegetables. Use the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the extra liquid and goodness out of the vegetables. Compost or discard them.
- Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain the broth into two or more large bowls to cool.
- Once the broth is sufficiently cooled, transfer to freezer safe containers or freezer bags.
Notes
-Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Why is there no salt added to this chicken broth recipe? I prefer storing my broth unsalted and then adding salt, as needed, when I use it for a recipe. However if you prefer you may add salt, to taste, to your chicken broth. More tips: If you are making your broth with raw chicken parts, after it comes to a simmer you may notice scum developing on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to skim this scum off the surface of the broth. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Can I use dried parsley? I have everything else except the parsley.
Hi Linda, I prefer fresh but I don’t see why dried would not work. Hope you enjoy your homemade broth!
Fantastic job thank you so much for taking so much effort for us and making the work easier. I tried making it and could make it very easily.
Hello Supriya, I’m glad to hear you were able to easily make this chicken broth. It’s definitely worth the effort to make and freeze it for future meals. Thanks for sharing!