How to Make Chicken Stock

Method 1: Chicken broth made from leftover roasted chicken bones

1. Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan:

   Place the leftover bones and skin from a chicken carcass in a large stockpot. Add vegetables, like celery, onion, carrot, parsley. Cover with water. Season to taste with salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.

2. Bring to a boil and reduce over low heat:

   Bring to the boil and immediately reduce the heat so the broth is barely simmering. Simmer, partially covered, for at least 4 hours, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface.

3. Concentrate the broth (optional):

   If you’re making a broth for future use, you may want to reduce the broth by allowing it to simmer an hour or two longer so it’s more concentrated and easier to store.

4. Strain broth:

   Remove the bones and vegetables with a slotted spoon or slotted spoon and strain the broth through a fine sieve.

Method 2: Chicken broth made from raw chicken back, wings and/or legs

1. Cook the chicken in a stock pot:

   Coat the bottom of a large (12 quart) soup pot with olive oil. Place half of the chicken pieces, skin-side down, in the bottom of the pot. Heat on medium and cook until chicken is browned. Add the remaining chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink.

2. Add the flavors and veggies:

   Add the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, scallion or scallions (if using) and bay leaf to the saucepan. Cover with 6 liters of cold water.

3. Bring to a boil and reduce over low heat:

   Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a gentle simmer. When foam rises to the top of the pot (this usually happens within the first half hour of cooking), skim it off with a large metal spoon. Simmer uncovered on low for 4 to 6 hours.

   Check every hour that there is still enough water in the pot. If the water evaporates too quickly, reduce the heat or add a little more water.

4. Remove the solids:

   Use a large metal spoon with holes in it (or a “spider ladle”) to scoop out the cooked chicken and vegetables. (These aren’t really edible, by the way. After 4 hours of cooking, most of the flavors and nutrients are cooked out of them and are now in the broth.) Discard.

5. Strain broth:

   Use a large colander lined with dampened cheesecloth or paper towel (or if you’re using a very fine mesh colander, you don’t need to line it) and set it over a large bowl or other large saucepan. Pour the broth through the strainer into the bowl or saucepan to strain out any remaining solids.

6. Share and save:

   Either pour into jars at this point, or if you’d like, we’re happy to simmer the broth over high heat for 1 hour to reduce by about half. This way you store concentrated broth that takes up less space in the freezer or refrigerator. When ready, pour into glasses.

   If you’re freezing, you might want to skim off some of the excess fat on the surface. (The fat helps preserve the broth in the fridge, but not in the freezer.) When freezing, leave at least an inch of headroom to allow the liquid broth to expand as it freezes solid. (Otherwise, the expanding ice stick will break the glass.)

   Allow the broth to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. The stock should last about a week in the fridge and several months in the freezer.

Method 3: Quick Chicken Broth

1. Sweat onion:

   Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot. Add a chopped onion. Fry until tender and lightly colored – 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl.

2. Boil the chicken and bring water to a boil:

   Place half of the chicken pieces in the pot. Fry until no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cooked chicken to the bowl with the onions. Fry the rest of the chicken in the same way. Place the onion and chicken pieces back into the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.

   While the chicken pieces are cooking, fill a large tea kettle with 2 liters of water and bring to a boil.

3. Add water, bring to a boil and then reduce over low heat:

   After the chicken pieces have been cooked for 20 minutes, increase the heat to high, add 2 liters of boiling water, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 bay leaves. Return to a low simmer and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Then cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

4. Stock:

   Strain the broth through a large strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels, discarding the solids. (It helps to remove the large pieces of bone first with a slotted spoon.)

   Pour into jars and cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. The stock will keep frozen in the refrigerator for about a week or several months.

Did I just say 3 ways to make chicken broth? Here are a few more!

Method 4: Use chicken feet

See How to make broth from chicken feet. If you have access to chicken feet, they make the most fabulous gelatinous broth.

I’ve seen many cookbooks that advocate skimming the fat from the broth. We prefer to settle the fat in a single layer on top of the broth as it cools. In this way, the fat acts as a protective layer over the stock.

Bacteria need oxygen to grow. By allowing the fat to rise to the surface of the broth and settle, we create a protective barrier between the broth and the oxygen in the air above. The broth will keep in the fridge a little longer if you leave the layer of fat on top.

Simply lift the layer of fat and discard the broth when ready to use. Every few days, simmer the broth for 10 minutes and allow to cool, allowing the fat to form a protective layer again. This way, your broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks.