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, the stock is used 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
It’s 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 is 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 of 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 that is 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. It 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 as well as 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 Do You Store It
It should be cooled immediately after it is done in a container in an ice bath, which I’m guessing most of you won’t be able to do. However, putting it uncovered into containers and directly into the refrigerator is the best thing it can do.
Once it has cooled in the refrigerator place a lid on it and hold it in there for up to 5 days. Once it’s cooled in the refrigerator, place a lid on it and store it into the freezer for up to 3 months if you don’t plan to use it immediately.
How to Make Chicken Stock
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.
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.
1. Add the chicken and vegetables to some roasting pans and rub them down in some olive oil. If you’re making a lot of stock be sure 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 very large pot and place it on the stove. 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. It is said 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.
The flavor of a remouillage is much more subtle than original chicken stock and is an affordable option for people or restaurants looking to extend the amount of chicken stock they need.
Recipe Chef Notes + Tips
How to Reheat: To reheat it simply add your desired portion to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot.
How to Store: It 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. 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.
Awesome Recipes Using Chicken Stock
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Video
Homemade Roasted Chicken Stock Recipe
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 roasting 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 very large stockpot and place it on the cooktop.
- Add in the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns and fill it up 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 completely and reuse the bones and veggies for a remouillage or discard.
- Cool the stock completely and store it.
Michael Connor says
If I roast a chicken tonight and save the bones and carcass in the freezer, can I just use that in the future while skipping the step of roasting?
Chef Billy Parisi says
you could
Sara Stewart Wainwright says
Hi Billy,
So happy to have found your website and blog! I live near St. Louis and I’m a hopeless foodie and a good cook, always looking to improve. In fact, tonight I’m going to have a zoom cooking lesson with one of our area’s top chefs. His name is Rick Lewis, owner of Grace Meat + Three and a James Beard nominee. I too make my own chicken stock and roast everything first. A couple of variations I do on your recipe is that I add a bunch of dill along with the parsley, and I use three parsnips. I’ve never used mushrooms but I’ll add them next time. You’re so right that nothing compares to the homemade version.
Becky Hardin says
Love how easy this is.
Erin says
This is so simple, but makes all the difference – so good!
Toni says
Homemade stock is really the best! Thank you for the tips!
Sara says
This a fantastic stock recipe. I love all the rich flavors in it. Thanks for the tip about remouillage. I’ve always wondered if you could make a second batch of stock.
Lauren Kelly says
There’s nothing better than homemade stock! Love this recipe!