Chicken stock or broth is the basic in many of my soup recipes. Of course, you can use store bought, but this is easy to make and it makes the difference. There’s no preservative, no MSG, low sodium, low fat and it will make you feel like a domestic goddess. You can refrigerate it up to 5 days or freeze up to 4 months.
It’s a perfect day today to make this. We’re home doing laundry and had no other plans. I can nap during this whole operation since it’s gonna take about 4 hours. Once done, I’ll have chicken stock ready for the soups that I’ll make during the week. It’ll be cold and that means soup time!
Have you ever wondered what is the difference between chicken stock and broth? Chicken stock tends to be made more from bony parts, whereas chicken broth is made more out of meat. To me, chicken stock tends to have a richer flavor, due to the gelatin released by long-simmering bones.
Let’s make some chicken stock!
Place the chicken, onion, carrots, parsnip, celery, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt and peppercorns in a large stock pot. FYI: if you can’t find parsnip, just add one more carrot.
Add 3 quarts of water (12 cups) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 4 hours.
My good friend/co-worker, Gina, gave me some tips that instead of bringing it to a boil and let it simmer, it’s better to broth to a boil but just a gentle simmer. Some people believe that bringing the stock to a boil creates a bitterness, whereas just letting it simmer keeps the broth “sweeter.” I will need to try that next time.
Skim foam and fat off the top.
Set aside until cool enough to handle. Take out the solids.
Let the chicken cool a bit, and remove the good meat for use in chicken soup or chicken salad, etc. Then, you have an option to return the bones to the stock and add more water if needed and let it simmer a while longer.
Let it cool down. Strain through a strainer.
It’s now ready to be used for soups or anything that needs chicken stock or broth. Or you can pack it in containers and refrigerate or freeze.
Hope you give this homemade chicken stock a try, the recipe card is below.
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion, unpeeled and quartered
- 3 carrots, unpeeled and cut into big chunks
- 1 parsnip, unpeeled and cut into big chunks
- 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut into big chunks
- 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 5 springs fresh thyme
- 10 springs fresh dill
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- Place the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt and peppercorns in a large stock pot.
- Add 3 quarts of water (12 cups) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 4 hours.
- Skim foam and fat off the top.
- Set aside until cool enough to handle. Take out the solids.
- Let the chicken cool a bit, and remove the good meat for use in chicken soup or chicken salad, etc. Then, you have an option to return the bones to the stock and add more water if needed and let it simmer a while longer.
- Let it cool down. Strain through a strainer. Use it in soups or anything that needs chicken stock or broth. Or you can pack it in containers and refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 4 months.
If you cant' find parsnip, that's o.k., just add 1 more carrot.
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