Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe (Bone Broth)

Learn how easy it is to make a homemade chicken stock that will help enhance the flavor of all of your soups and sauces.

In the restaurant industry, we would use stock in so many different recipes that it’s seriously one of the most coveted things in the kitchen.  From risotto to heating up vegetables to sauces and, of course, making delicious soups, this is a must-have in any kitchen, and it’s incredibly easy to make.

What Is It?

Chicken stock is a chicken-flavored liquid that consists of chicken bones and parts, vegetables, herbs, and water that is slow-cooked together for 4-6 hours.  It’s then drained and reserved for any cooking occasion.

Here is a traditional ingredient list:

• Chicken Bones – This can be from carcasses, leftover bones, gizzards, or feet.
• Mirepoix – A combination of 50% onions, 25% carrots, and 25% celery.
• Herbs and Spices – Fresh thyme sprigs, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

There is no comparison between homemade to store-bought. It is significantly more flavorful!

Chicken Stock Vs. Broth

There is actually a big difference between stock and broth.

• Stock – a roasted chicken bone base slowly simmered in water with herbs and vegetables.  The bones from the chicken cause it to be gelatinous and extremely rich in flavor.
• Broth – a thin chicken-flavored liquid that has chicken meat cooked into it with vegetables and herbs.  This is often seasoned with salt and pepper and most certainly what is in those boxes at the grocery store.

Both stock and broth are delicious, but you will get a much richer flavor in stock due to the bones.

How Can I Make It Taste Better?

You can make it taste better by roasting up the bones and vegetables in the oven ahead of time and using an assortment of vegetables.  Here are a few things you can put into it in addition to a traditional recipe:

• Mushrooms
• Leeks
• Parsnips
• Green onions
• Vegetable peelings
• Herb sprigs with no leaves
• Shallots
• Zucchini
• Squash

Do not use bell peppers, spicy peppers, tomatoes, vegetables from the radish family, or any overly strong flavored vegetables.

How to Make Chicken Stock

1. Add the chicken and vegetables to some roasting pans and rub them down in some olive oil.  I prefer to use a couple of different pans so that they can all get roasted.

2. Roast the pans in the oven at 425° for 45-60 minutes or until they are browned.

3. Transfer the roasted chicken and vegetables in the pans to a large pot and place them on the stove. Just as an FYI, a large stockpot that has a spigot is known as a marmite!

4. Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the stock.

5. Fill the pot up with cold water until it is 6 inches over the ingredients into the pot.

6. Simmer on low heat for 4-6 hours, skimming the impurities off of the top every 45 minutes or so.

7. Strain it and store it.  I believe that it cannot extract much more flavor past the 6-hour mark.

What Is a Remouillage?

A remouillage is a stock that is made from the bones and vegetables that have already been used in a stock.  Essentially after you strain the first stock, you add the bones and vegetables back to the pot, refill it with water and make a second stock.

While the flavor of a remouillage is much more subtle than original chicken stock, it’s an affordable option for people or restaurants looking to extend the amount of chicken stock they need.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.

How to Reheat: To reheat it, add your desired portion to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot.

How to Store: Once it has cooled in the refrigerator, you can place a lid on it and hold it there for up to 5 days.  Once it’s cooled in the refrigerator, I place a lid on it, then store it in the freezer for up to 6 months if you don’t plan to use it immediately.

CHEF NOTES + TIPS

• Any vegetable peelings, or if they are starting to go bad, please put them in the freezer to make this chicken stock as economical and delicious as possible.
• This can easily be made using all leftover ingredients.  It’s important if you often fabricate a whole chicken to use in your cooking to freeze the chicken carcasses.  Any leftover bones at all should be frozen.

Awesome Recipes Using Chicken Stock

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Chicken Fricassee
• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Ribollita
• Cassoulet

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this, then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

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Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

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5 from 11 votes

Learn how easy it is to make a homemade chicken stock that will help enhance the flavor of all of your soups and sauces.

Servings: 40

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients 

• 5 pounds chicken bones
• 4 roughly chopped medium size onions
• 4 roughly chopped carrots
• 1 roughly chopped bunch of celery
• 2 roughly chopped leeks
• 2 cups each button and cremini mushrooms
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 10-15 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 15-20 peppercorns

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Add the chicken, onions, carrots, celery, leeks, mushrooms, and garlic to a large pan or 2 roasting pans.
• Evenly drizzle the oil over the ingredients and mix until coated.
• Roast in the oven at 425° for 45-60 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Transfer the ingredients to a huge stockpot and place them on the cooktop.
• Add in the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and fill it with water until the ingredients in the pot have been covered by 6 inches.
• Simmer on low heat for 4-6 hours while skimming the impurities off of the top every 45 minutes or so.
• Strain entirely and reuse the bones and veggies for a remouillage or discard.
• Cool the stock completely and store it.

Notes

There is no comparison of homemade chicken stock to store-bought. it is significantly more flavorful.

Do not use bell peppers, spicy peppers, tomatoes, vegetables from the radish family or any overly strong flavored vegetables.

If you’re making a lot of stock be sure to use a couple different pans so that they can all get roasted.

It is said that chicken stock cannot extract much more flavor past the 6 hour mark.

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 7mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1110IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

Course: sauce, Soup

Cuisine: French