This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Making homemade chicken stock is a kitchen essential that adds rich flavor to your recipes. It’s easy, economical, and a great way to reduce food waste. With just a few simple ingredients and some simmering time, you’ll have a flavorful base for soups, stews, and countless other dishes.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Why should you make your own chicken stock?

Making your own chicken stock is worth it for several reasons. First, it’s a fantastic way to use leftover chicken bones, chicken meat, and vegetable scraps, reducing food waste.

Homemade stock is also far more flavorful than store-bought versions, allowing you to enhance the taste of your recipes. Finally, you have control over the ingredients, making it easier to customize the flavors to your liking and avoid unnecessary additives or preservatives often found in store-bought stock. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and can be made in large batches for future use.

Ingredients

leftover chicken carcass
celery
carrots
peppercorns
bay leaves

Step by step

Making homemade stock is very easy! You’ll just need a large pot and a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.

pouring water over chicken, carrots, and celery

Combine all of the ingredients in a large stockpot.
Add enough water to cover most if not all of the chicken carcass.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and keep at a gentle simmer for 2 hours or until a third to half the liquid is evaporated.
Remove large pieces of vegetables and chicken and then strain the remaining liquid.
Cool quickly by placing the stock in a bowl and placing the bowl in a larger bowl full of ice water. Once cooled transfer to the refrigerator and remove the layer of fat from the top if desired.

Use this homemade broth to make gravy without drippings, Instant Pot chicken and gravy, Southern-style green beans, or homemade chicken and noodles.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

No time to supervise the stove? Try making the stock in the slow cooker! Simply add the ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours before straining the broth.

Instant Pot Chicken Stock

Making chicken stock in an Instant Pot is quick and easy.

Place the ingredients into the Instant Pot.
Cover with water, making sure not to exceed the Instant Pot’s maximum fill line.
Seal the Instant Pot, set it to “Soup” or “Manual” for 30 minutes on high pressure, and let it naturally release.
Strain the stock to remove solids and cool.

Tips for best results

Start with cold water: This allows for a gradual release of flavors and helps extract the maximum amount of collagen and gelatin from the bones and connective tissues.
Don’t Over-Salt: Be cautious with salt when making stock, especially if you plan to reduce it further in recipes. You can always add more salt later, but you can’t take it out.
Cool Properly: After straining, cool the stock quickly. You can use an ice bath or place it in the refrigerator. Once cool, you can remove any fat that solidifies on the surface.
Strain Thoroughly: When your stock is ready, strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all solids. You can strain it multiple times if needed. This ensures a clear, silky stock.

Storage

Once the homemade broth is cooled you can transfer the stock to glass jars or other airtight containers and refrigerate. You can also freeze the stock for up to 3 months. For individual portions, freeze in an ice cube tray and transfer the stock cubes to a freezer bag.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!