Description
This homemade chicken stock recipe transforms leftover cooked chicken carcass and fresh vegetables into a rich, flavorful broth perfect for soups, sauces, and various recipes. Slow-simmered for hours, this stock captures deep, comforting flavors that elevate any dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 leftover (cooked) chicken carcass (including any additional leftovers)
- 2 large carrots or 10–12 baby carrots
- 1 yellow onion, sliced into chunks (skins left on if desired)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 celery base with stalks sliced off
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 bunch parsley (including stems)
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Place the leftover chicken carcass into a large stock pot. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery base, celery stalks, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper according to your preference.
- Add Water: Pour enough water into the pot to cover the ingredients by 1 to 2 inches, ensuring everything is submerged for a thorough cooking and flavor extraction.
- Bring to a Boil: Heat the pot on the stove over high heat until the water reaches a rolling boil, signaling the start of the simmering process.
- Simmer Slowly: Immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook for at least 4 hours. For a more concentrated, richer stock, simmer longer if desired.
- Remove Solids: Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, carefully lift out the cooked vegetables and chicken bones from the pot.
- Strain the Stock: Pour the remaining liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot to remove any remaining small particles and create a clear broth.
- Cool and Store: Allow the strained stock to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the stock into labeled containers or canning jars, leaving room for expansion if freezing.
- Use or Freeze: Use the homemade chicken stock immediately in soups, sauces, or other recipes requiring broth, or freeze for future use to enhance flavor in your cooking.
Notes
- For a clearer stock, avoid boiling vigorously; maintain a gentle simmer.
- Remove any foam or impurities that rise to the surface during the initial simmering phase.
- Chicken stock can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use leftover chicken bones from roasted or cooked chicken for best flavor.
- Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar at the start helps extract minerals from the bones.
- Skins on the onion add a nice golden color to the stock.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Soup Base
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: homemade chicken stock, chicken broth, leftover chicken, soup base, easy chicken stock, slow simmer broth
