How to turn a whole chicken into chicken stock?
To remove the meat from the whole chicken, follow these steps:
- Carefully remove the whole chicken from the pot and set it on a large cutting board. ...
- Use two forks or a knife to remove as much meat as possible. ...
- Put the meat in an airtight glass container. ...
- Place all of the bones, skin, juices, and everything else back into the pot to continue making chicken stock.
How to make the best chicken stock?
Once you have all your ingredients ready—blanched bones or sweated-out vegetables, caramelized aromatics, rice wine, MSG, and sugar—add water and bring it to a vigorous boil. Then sit back and relax.
What is the best brand of chicken stock?
We tested ten brands to find the one you should be buying.
- Runner-Up: Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth. Score: 8.5/10 This broth garnered what I consider to be one of the best compliments in any taste test: “This tastes homemade.”
- Best in Show: Swanson Chicken Broth. Score: 9.2/10 In the end, one of the biggest names in broth proved to be our winner. ...
- Bottom Line. Your broth matters! ...
How to make chicken stock step by step?
- 4-inch square of cheesecloth
- 18 inches butcher's twine
- Utility scissors
- 12 parsley stems
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves

Can I use a raw carcass for stock?
You can make stock from raw chicken bones, cooked chicken carcasses, or a combination of both.
Can you add raw chicken to stock?
The chicken does not need to be cooked completely through when preparing soup in this way, because it will cook more once it's in the boiling broth, but The Whole Portion notes that if you are adding raw or underdone chicken to broth you need to ensure the broth still needs time to be fully ready so it won't taste over ...
How much stock does a whole chicken make?
When made as written here, this method produces roughly 3 quarts (12 cups) of stock, 1/2 cup of shredded chicken (if additional raw parts are used), and roughly 1/2 tbsp of schmaltz (may be more if you also used raw chicken parts). It's a medium-sodium stock - just enough salt for flavor, but not too much to overwhelm.
Do you leave skin on chicken when making stock?
Making chicken broth You can leave the skin on, or remove it if you want to reduce some of the fat. Clean and chop the vegetables – You'll be using a “mirepoix”, which is a combination of 2 parts onion, 1 part carrots, and 1 part celery.
Can you boil raw chicken in chicken broth?
Boiled chicken breast has to be one of the easiest ways to prepare chicken ever! Add just enough broth or water to cover fresh or frozen chicken breasts in a saucepan. Season with salt, pepper, & fresh herbs if using.
What's the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth?
Stock is made from bones, while broth is made mostly from meat or vegetables. Using bones in stock creates a thicker liquid, while broth tends to be thinner and more flavorful. Though broth and stock do have small differences, many people use them for the same purposes.
Can you overcook chicken stock?
Simmer Your Bones Long Enough, But Not Too Long Yet, if you cook your broth too long, it will develop overcooked, off-flavors that can become particularly unpleasant if you've added vegetables to the broth pot which tend to break down, tasting at once bitter and overly sweet.
What does the initial blanching do in a chicken stock?
It may seem counterintuitive to cook the meat and bones twice, but the initial boil is important because it helps the proteins clump together, making it easy to skim off the scum that can cloud the water and give the stock a muddy flavor.
How long should you simmer chicken stock?
Simmer the stock for 6 to 8 hours, covered, keeping an eye on it to make sure it stays at a simmer. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve. Let cool. Scrape the fat that rises to the top.
What is the difference between bone broth and chicken stock?
The major difference between stock and bone broth is that that bone broth is simmered on very low heat for 24 – 48 hours. This slow-cooking not only releases gelatin but also adds calcium, collagen, glucosamine and other nutrients to the broth. Bone broth is usually drunk hot and not used in cooking.
What's the difference between bone broth and chicken broth?
Bone broth is different from chicken broth. It is a liquid that has more protein, collagen, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals than chicken broth. Chicken broth may be ok for cooking, but bone broth is much for concentrated and delicious. Bone broth also gives you nutritional benefits, while chicken broth does not.
Is chicken stock the same as bone broth?
"Bone broth is essentially stock," he admits. The confusion comes from the traditional definition for stock, which is more viscous due to the collagen that seeps out of joints and bones during long-term cooking, and broth, which is thinner and is made with more actual meat (versus meat-stripped bones used for stock).
Directions
Place raw chicken in a large pot. Optional: For deeper flavor, roast the chicken parts for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F before proceeding with the recipe.
How to Store Homemade Chicken Stock
You can store it in the fridge for up to three days, or, if you don't need the full amount for soup, pour it into smaller containers and freeze for up to 6 months. Then you'll have small amounts ready to use when making a sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, casseroles, or rice dishes.
VIDEO: How to Make Rapid Chicken Stock
Ready for a speedy alternative? See how to make chicken stock in your pressure cooker! "This simple yet flavorful chicken stock is great for everything," says Liam Walshe, "and the pressure cooker is the magic tool here! You need a decent-sized pressure cooker for this recipe.
Homemade Chicken Stock
This is actually my first year making homemade chicken stock and I’m sold! It’s so flavorful and is the perfect addition to any recipe that calls for chicken broth. Plus it’s especially good for sipping on those sick days.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Stock
Place chicken carcass (including any wing bones or leg bones) into a large pot.
So Whats the Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?
Chicken stock is richer and tends to have more flavor, it’s made with the bones whereas chicken broth is simmered with chicken meat.
Can I Use Different Herbs?
You can use other herbs here such as thyme, rosemary or bay leaves for a bit of extra herb flavor if desired. A clove or two of garlic can also be added to for a light garlicy flavor.
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken Bones?
Yes you can use rotisserie chicken bones here so don’t throw them away. If you don’t don’t get to making it right away you can chill chicken bones and make the broth within the next few days.
How Long Will the Stock Keep For?
This should keep well in the fridge for 5 – 6 days or frozen for 2 months. Cool completely before freezing and allow 1-inch space at the top for expansion.
Can I Make This in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?
I’ve also tried this in a slow cooker and it works great. Just cook on low heat 8 – 12 hours (or high heat 4 – 5 hours). You can also make it in the Instant Pot, set to 45 minutes (let pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes).
Chicken Broth from Raw Chicken Pieces
A tasty chicken broth made with raw chicken pieces. Browning and cooking the chicken and veggies helps develop a flavorful broth quickly. If you prefer to skip this step, simmer all ingredients in a pot for 3-4 hours. For even easier prep, place everything in a slow cooker and cook on low for up to 8-12 hours.
Difference Between Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock
I am not one to get hung up on words and will often use the term broth and stock interchangeably. However, when teaching how to make soup courses, I’m often asked “What’s the difference between broth and stock?”
Getting More Flavorful Broth or Stock
Another common question is how to get more flavorful broth or stock. Here are a few ideas:
Chicken stock recipe
Stocks are the foundation for countless dishes in many cuisines. Chicken stock is one of the most common and versatile stocks in Western cooking, and is made by infusing water with the flavours of chicken, fresh root vegetables and herbs.
Bones for chicken stock
I use chicken bones to make chicken stock. I find that it makes a great all-rounder, clear stock with good flavour at store-bought strength. Specifically, I use chicken carcasses, also known as chicken frames, (see photo below) which litre for litre are the most economical cut.
Brown vs white chicken stock
A brown stock refers to a stock where the bones are roasted and the tray deglazed before simmering, as you would do with beef stock. A brown chicken stock has a deep, complex, roasted flavour as well as a darker colour.
How to make chicken stock
Because we’re making a nice clear white chicken stock (see above), there’s no bone-roasting malarkey to take care of first which makes the whole process much quicker and less laborious. Just dump everything in a pot, add water and simmer!
What to do with homemade chicken stock
This homemade chicken stock can be used for any recipe that calls for chicken stock. It will elevate any dish from great homemade food to top-notch, restaurant-quality in taste, believe me!
Watch how to make it
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Chicken stock recipe
Recipe video above. This is the only chicken stock recipe you'll ever need. It's an excellent all-rounder that can be used for everything from clear soups to rich stews, gravies and creamy sauces. The key is to use chicken frames (carcass) which yields the ideal balance of flavour, nutrients and richness.
What is Chicken Broth vs. Stock?
While similar, chicken stock usually utilizes more chicken bones than chicken broth (which primarily uses the meat). The difference affects the flavor and texture. Chicken stock has a richer flavor and silkier mouthfeel due to the gelatins from the simmered bones.
How to Make Chicken Stock (Bone Broth)
First, clean the chicken well and pat dry. You can optionally remove the skin and chop the chicken into pieces so it fits your pot.
How to Use Chicken Stock
To say the uses for chicken stock are plentiful would be an understatement. However, here are a few of my favorite ways to use this “liquid gold.”
How Long Does Chicken Broth Last?
Fridge: you can store the jars of homemade chicken stock in the refrigerator for between 5-7 days. The fat layer on top can extend the shelflife to up to 10 days; however, I aim to use it within a week to be safe.
Recipe Notes and Top Tips
To remove excess fat: when storing the homemade chicken stock in the fridge, the fat will naturally separate and float at the top of the broth. You can then simply move it aside when pouring out the liquid.
Soups and Stews
If you try this method for how to cook chicken stock, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d really appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
How to Make Chicken Stock (Chicken Bone Broth)
The ultimate guide on how to make chicken stock (aka chicken bone broth) with a whole chicken, chicken parts, or carcass (bones). This "liquid gold" homemade chicken stock is packed with flavor and healthful nutrients and is the perfect addition to soups, stews, gravies, and sauces!
A rich, flavorful, and versatile chicken stock, made with a minimal investment of time and effort
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
What Makes a Good Chicken Stock?
In my eyes, a good white chicken stock should have the full, clean flavors of chicken and aromatic vegetables, and have more body than water. If it gels at least slightly when chilled, that's a good sign as far as body is concerned.
The Building Blocks of Stock
A very basic white chicken stock is a pretty simple affair: It's made with water; chicken; aromatic vegetables, like onion, carrot, and garlic; and herbs. The exact ingredients are up to the cook.
Consider the Chicken
Stock can be made with a whole chicken, any of its parts, or a combination. In practice, it's usually made with the scraps and bones of a chicken that's already been butchered for other uses. Still, it helps to know how each part of a chicken can change the flavor of stock.
Arming the Aromatics
Another big question with stock is how to handle the aromatics. It's common to just throw halved onions and big chunks of carrot and celery into the pot. But is that the best way?
The Ratio and Cooking Time
One of the keys to good stock is simply to not dilute it too much. When I started my tests, I was limited by pot size and dimension, and had to use one pound of chicken per two quarts of water (any more, and I'd overflow my smaller pots). But that produced stocks that were a little too weak.
Ingredients
4 to 8 pounds (1.8 to 3.6kg) chicken parts, such as wings, bones, breasts, and legs (see note)
Ingredient notes
Chicken: This recipe uses a whole raw chicken or the equivalent of cut-up pieces (you can do 4 to 5 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, thighs, drumsticks, necks, whatever!).
Step-by-step instructions
To a Dutch oven or large stock pot, add chicken and cold water to cover (see note 3). Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and skim the foam off the top.
Recipe tips and variations
Yield: This recipe makes about 4 cups (2 quarts) homemade chicken broth. You’ll also get 2 cups cooked chicken in the process.
How to Make Chicken Broth
For the best, most delicious homemade chicken broth, start with a whole raw chicken or chicken pieces and simple vegetables and herbs. At the end of it, you'll have 4 cups of delicious cooked chicken and 2 quarts of the best chicken broth you've ever tasted.
