I always keep a stash of homemade chicken stock in my freezer for making soups, sauces, and even just sipping. Here’s everything you need to know to make it in your slow cooker, a stock pot, or Instant Pot. It smells and tastes amazing with layers of flavor that boost any recipe – you’ll never want store-bought again.
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Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe
Chicken stock is a pantry staple used in so many different ways, from deglazing a pan to making Chicken Noodle Soup. It gives an incredible richness to any recipe. I also love to ladle it into a mug, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and just drink it hot like tea. It’s so soothing. It makes me happy that my kids love to sip their bone broth the same way – it’s just so tasty!
Stock is made by cooking animal bones, extracting the bones’ nutrients and flavor into the liquid (also why it’s called chicken bone broth). It’s incredibly easy to make, and you can make bone broth from any animal bones, from Turkey Stock to beef stock, fish stock, and even veal stock.
Chicken Stock vs Chicken Broth?
You can use them interchangeably, but there is a difference between chicken stock and chicken broth. Chicken Stock is made by simmering animal bones for a long period to extract marrow and add layers of flavor. It’s richer and thicker because it contains more gelatin from the bones. Chicken broth is flavored with meat, simmers for a shorter time, and usually contains more salt.
Ingredients for Chicken Stock
Regardless of what method you choose, you’ll need the same ingredients, with varying amounts of water.
- Chicken Bones – 3-5 lbs of leftover chicken bones and skin – wings, drumsticks, even feet, or carcasses (see How to Cut a Whole Chicken). If using raw bones, be sure to roast them first for a richer flavor (directions below).
- Apple cider vinegar – helps break down the bone to release nutrients. Use white vinegar or even lemon juice in a pinch.
- Seasoning – garlic, salt, and bay leaf
- Mirepoix (Vegetables) – onion, celery, and carrots – I add the celery leaves for more flavor. Some people leave the onion skins, but I like to peel the onions so the stock doesn’t get too dark. You can peel or scrub the carrots before adding them.
- Filtered water – careful to use the right amount for the chicken stock method you choose.
Pro Tip:
I always keep a Ziploc labeled “stock” in my freezer where I keep scraps and bones until I’m ready to make chicken stock.
Roasted Bones = Flavor
Start here for all methods! If bones are from a cooked chicken, skip this roasting step. If using a whole raw chicken, watch this tutorial on How to Cut a Whole Chicken.
- Roast – Arrange raw bones on a lined baking sheet. Roast at 400˚F for 20 minutes, and then add the bones and pan juices to your pot to enhance the stock’s flavor. Flavor Tip: Pour hot water over the baking pan to deglaze it, then add it to the stock to extract all the extra flavor from the pan.
Method 1: Stovetop Chicken Stock
Stovetop chicken stock is best if you want to make a double batch in a large stock pot; otherwise, it requires the most babysitting (from 6 hours or up to 15 hours for a marrow-rich bone broth)!
- Add the bones, water, vinegar and salt to an 8-quart stock pot, and bring to a boil. Skim foam and impurities off the top, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 4 hours.
- Add the vegetables, garlic, and bay leaf, and simmer for another 2-11 hours, being careful not to boil, which can make the broth cloudy. Add more water as needed since it evaporates.
Method 2: Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
This is the easy set it and forget it slow cooker method (10-15 hours on low)! Start with warm or hot water to jump-start the process.
- Add bones, 12 cups of warm water, vinegar, and salt to a 6-quart slow cooker, and cook on low for 10-15 hours.
- Halfway through, add veggies, garlic, and bay leaf, and finish the timer.
(Favorite Method) Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth
The pressure cooker is the fastest way to make chicken stock (just 2 hours), and to be honest, the Instant Pot is my favorite method because it has the richest flavor and the clearest broth.
- Place all the ingredients into a 6-Qt Instant Pot or 8 Qt Instant Pot and add water up to the max fill line.
- Select the soup/broth setting or cook on manual high pressure for 2 hours, and then wait 30 minutes to naturally depressurize then carefully release pressure.
How to Know When Chicken Stock is Done?
The timing depends on what you are after and the cooking method you select. For a marrow-rich chicken bone broth, cook until you can easily break a chicken bone in half – that’s how you know the marrow nutrients are released into your stock.
How to Strain Chicken Stock
Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Once thickened the following day, scrape the fat off the top and continue to store in the fridge or freezer.
Storing Chicken Broth
Each recipe makes about 8 cups of broth, so you can easily have stock on hand.
- To Refrigerate: store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator
- Freezing: pour into freezer-safe containers and freeze up to 3 months (be sure to leave room for expansion)
- Reheating: homemade stock thickens after refrigeration, which is totally normal, but turns to liquid when heated. Use frozen or thaw in the fridge overnight. Be sure to heat it to a rolling boil before consuming.
Homemade chicken stock adds so much flavor to every dish! It’s rich and layered, boosting everything from pasta dishes to soups, and the nutritional benefits make this recipe a must-try.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 3-5 lbs leftover chicken bones and skin, from 1 large chicken (or from 2 rotisserie chickens)
- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
- 2 celery ribs, cut into thirds, leaves attached
- 2 carrots, peeled & halved
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf, optional, but nice
- Filtered Water, Stock Pot: 16 c., 6Qt Slow Cooker: 12 c., 6-8Qt Instant Pot: 10-12 c.
Instructions
Roast Raw Bones (for all methods):
- Roast – (Note: If using bones from a cooked rotisserie chicken, skip this step). Place bones on a lined rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400˚F for 20 minutes.
Stovetop Method (6-15 hours simmering):
- Add – Place roasted bones and any accumulated pan juices into your 8 qt stock pot. Add 16 cups (or 4 Qts) of filtered water along with 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Skim off impurities that rise to the top. Cover and simmer on low heat 4 hrs.
- Add Vegetables – Add onion, celery, carrots, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf, and continue cooking on a low simmer another 2-11 hours, depending on how marrow-rich you want your broth. Be careful not to bring it to a hard boil, or the broth will look foggy.
Slow Cooker Method (10-15 hours on low):
- Add roasted bones and any accumulated pan juices into the 6-quart Slow Cooker. Add 12 cups of warm or hot water along with 1 Tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Set to low heat for 10-15 hrs.
- Halfway through cooking on low heat, add onion, celery, carrots, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf and continue cooking on low. You can let it go longer if needed overnight and strain the next day.
Instant Pot Method (2 hours pressure-cooked):
- Add roasted bones and accumulated pan juices into a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, 1 Tbsp cider vinegar, and 1 tsp salt. Add water or until you reach the max fill line in the pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 2 hours. It will warm up, then cook on high pressure for 2 hours. When cooking is complete, wait 30 min to naturally depressurize, then release pressure (use an oven mitt for safety in case it sputters).
How to Strain Chicken Stock:
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a second pot, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Cool the strained stock to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. The following day, it will thicken, and you can scrape the fat off the top (see storage instructions below).
Notes
- Refrigerate – Store the stock in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can thicken in the fridge, but it will liquidify once heated.
- To freeze – divide the stock into freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion. Store frozen for up to 3 months.
- To use – thaw in the fridge overnight, or use from frozen. Be sure to heat to a rolling boil before consuming.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
So MANY Ways to Use Chicken Stock
You will really taste the difference in your cooking when you use homemade chicken stock. Try it out in these recipes:
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Clam Chowder
- Borscht
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Chicken Marsala
- Parmesan Risotto
- Split Pea Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Rice (1-pot meal)
Question for the stovetop method: when you turn the heat off for the night, is ok to leave it on the stove to cool overnight (6 hrs)?
Hi Melissa, I wouldn’t leave it out too long. Once it cools I would store it in the refrigerator.
Natasha,
Have you ever tried canning the Chicken Bone Broth? Does it work or is it better to freeze it?
Hi Virginia, I have always frozen it because it’s easier and we go through it fairly quickly. You might google search to see if there is anything special required for canning both broth.
Virginia, my brother, the chef in Europe says you can strain the hot broth into canning jars. Tighten the lids and invert them upside down to cool. You can refrigerate or leave them in the pantry for up to a year.
His company makes bone broths. This is a very good recipe and the amounts and cooking time is exactly on.
Hi Susie, thank you for the tip! We appreciate good information like this.
what are your thoughts about using bones/skin/meat bits left from a rotisserie chicken?
Hi, I often use the whole leftover carcass from a rotisserie chicken.
We eat rotisserie chicken fairly often as I have a grandson that likes it alot. I used bones from one that was lemon pepper flavor and one that was plain and the broth is soooo great. Makes me happy because I always felt we wasted alot of meat from the roasted chickens, PS, I give everything in the strainer to the cats and animals.
I love your recipes, Natasha, especially the desserts! I have a couple of Qs about this broth.
1. If I made a roast chicken, how well do I need to clean off the bones?
2. How do you clean the bones? Should I blanche them?
3. If I only have the bones from 1 chicken, can I fill the pot with extra veggies to make a veggie/chicken hybrid?
Sorry for all the Qs, this is my first time trying this!! Thank you!!
Hi Carolyn, there is no need to clean off the bones before making the stock. I often make this with the bones from 1 chicken and then add veggies as directed. It will still be a very tasty broth.
Instead of the water to make chicken broth can I use chicken broth out of a box as a substitute?
Hi Betsy, that isn’t necessary and I think it would keep better and taste fresher starting with water rather than a pre-packaged broth.
I would like to add a reminder that there is a huge amount of sodium (salt) in pre-packaged broths. Even the low sodium varieties are still more than I would want to give my family. Water has no sodium added unless you add it. Always control your ingredients for flavor and health.
HI Natasha,
You mention that this broth can be also made using roasted turkey bones (aka Thanksgiving turkey). Would the proportion of everything else be the same? Also, can this broth (either chicken or turkey)be used as a base for sauces? Should it be reduced? Do you have any tips for this?
Hi Natasha, yes, this will work with turkey bones. I would alter the recipe based on the pounds of bones you have. We have the serving recipe slider that should help with that.
This was so delicious! I loved it in the chicken noodle soup recipe you shared! Should I dilute it when I want to use it in a recipe that calls for chicken broth? (It’s so gelatinous!) or use it as is?
Hi Helen! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! To be honest, I haven’t tried that but I bet that can work! I would love to know how you like this recipe if you experiment!
My bone broth turned out beautiful and tasty. I have a
layer of something on the bottom. What is it? Do I use it?
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Does it look like gelled chicken bone broth? Someone else commented this “The gelled chicken bone broth is in the bottom of the cup. I freeze these “hockey pucks” (as my daughter calls them) for use in soups, stews, gravies, even as a water flavoring for boiling up mashed potatoes.”
I made the slow cooker version, this had to have been one of the easiest things I’ve ever made and it is delicious!
So great to hear that Paige. Thanks for your wonderful feedback!
What is the proper temperature or range of temperature to maintain during the cook time? Specifically for stove top and slow cooker.
Thank you!
Hi Rob, I would keep it at a simmer. A simmer is about 195˚F.
I’ve been making my grandmas bone broth (Jewish penicillin!) for years! And this was surprisingly almost right! Even down to the vinegar.
A couple of things though. Do NOT peel your veggies, or remove the skin. You are missing soooo many nutrients this way. Scrub the skin of your veggies, obviously, but otherwise just chop in half or quarters and throw right in! In fact, I’ll even save veggie scraps and peelings from previous meals in the freezer and throw those in when I make stock. And don’t skimp on the garlic! Two cloves? I usually put two heads of garlic in (just cut off the top). You can also roast the garlic first for some nice depth of flavor… but I promise, it will NOT be too garlicky. And the garlic is great for helping/preventing illness. Some other great veggies to use are mushrooms (for some extra umami), and parsnips. I also usually add in some whole peppercorns to mine.
Another important tip that I didn’t see explicitly mentioned: never ever ever add salt. Salt is for seasoning at the end. As the stock cooks and reduces, you run the risk of things getting too salty. I’ve known a few people who ruined their stock this way.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Jessica. Our readers will love these tips.
I once heard that chicken fat is ideal for making flaky pie crusts, etc., but have never tried using the fat skimmed from broth for this reason. Has anyone tried this?
That’s a great question. I hope our readers have the answer to this.
I’ve often used duck fat for pastry making, I can’t see why you couldn’t use the chicken fat you skimmed off , also it would be great for roasting your potatoes in
Thank you for sharing that Susan!
That’s my favourite way of making bone broth as well. I used the other methods too, but I got used with the 2 hours job and will never go back. One tip: I don’t scoop out the fat that accumulates on top of the jars. It acts as a sealer. I kept jars in my fridge for two months and when I open it, it was fresh like on the day I made it. I scoop it out when I want to use the broth. I never use that fat for cooking because it was boiled too long. It never goes bad on top of the jelly. It just stops the air to get in.
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Can I cut this in half? I have 1 roasted chicken on hand and really want to try this I’m my instant pot. Or should I grab another chicken first?
Hi Ashley, I imagine that can work.
Will the cooking time be the same for one chicken?
Hi Natasha, I have done this stock with the bones of just one chicken and kept everything else the same. It’s not quite as concentrated in chicken flavor but still works great. You can cut down the rest but it works to keep everything else the same, just using fewer chicken bones.
My family loves so many of your recipes! I use a lot of chicken broth, but have never made my own. We have two leftover roasted chicken carcasses. Can I freeze them and use them at a later date?
Hi Jane, I’ve heard freezing roasted chicken carcasses does work. Make sure you wrap them well to avoid any freezer burn.
Hi Natasha, can I depressurize the instant pot outside or in the garage? I made this broth and it turned out delicious but my house smelled like chicken after I released the pressure. I’m new to the instant pot, and was wondering if I unpluG it will it still release the pressure?
And, can I try this recipe with bone-in beef for beef broth?
Thanks!
Hi Lena, so I don’t mess with the instant pot after it is plugged in and have to transport a high-pressure instant pot (for safety reasons), I often just set my broth on in the garage or outdoors (where I know the kids won’t get to it) and then I can just depressurize outside. Alternatively, I put my pressure pot under my hood vent and put it on the highest venting power before I release pressure and that works well.
Thank you, I’ll try that next time! How about the bone-in beef to make beef broth, will that work with this recipe instead of chicken?
Hi Yelena, I imagine that would work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
You can also put a towel over the vent.
Can I make this on the stove top? Can I just put a whole chicken in the pot?
Hi Cheryl, you sure can we have that written in the recipe. Look for the sub title “Stovetop Method (15 Hours of Slow Cooking)” in this post. I hope it helps.
You can also be saving onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves, etc from your other cooking activities and have them ready for the stock pot. I think the fat makes a nice seal on the refrigerated stock and it is only when I remove it, use some of the stock and have some left over that I worry much about its keeping (within reason.) I think you can assume that when the stock is strained while still somewhat hot that it is not likely to be infected with any problematical organisms. In my opinion, the Instant Pot does not reduce the stock as much as I like. When I use a regular pressure cooker for about 2 hours the result is almost aspic like because the liquid is more reduced.
Hi, I needed a quick soup today so I boiled the whole chicken in water with herbs and then strained the chicken, pulled the meat off the bones and placed into the soup with veggies. I now have these bones, could I make a bone broth with them or are the nutrients boiled out? (the chicken boiled for about 2 hours whole) thanks!
Hi Kristin, I haven’t tested that to advise, if you experiment please let know how you like that.
A bit late but you could still make soup out of a chicken carcass like that as all you did was cook the chicken and had very little time for the bones to leach out their goodness!
yes use the bones.and throw in the fat and anything else that you were going to throw away from the chicken.
I have two question. When you say roasted chicken, is this after I cook the chicken in the oven? I know you said a crock pot can be used, how big do you recommend?
Thanks,
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, this is the crockpot that we use.
Thank you
Hi Natasha,
I am new to this cooking stuff. I am trying to figure out what you mean when you say you use a instant pot or a crockpot to cook this. Now the question is what is an instant pot? I know what a crockpot is and a pressure cooker, but I am not sure what an instant pot is by name.
I want to make my soups from scratch and this bone broth will help me do this.
Thanks.
I have been asked to make a chicken soup for a cancer patient. She has requested no salt or veggies. Can I put a whole chicken in my slow cooker and not have to roast it first ?
Hi Gert, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
You can use a crock pot wet or dry, and it will act like an oven; but remember, even cooking in a dry crock pot, use a thermometer and expect a long cooking time. You should be able to find recipes on line. Yes, you can “bake” a chicken in a crock pot.
Hi Gert. Since you’re skipping the veggies, aromatics and seasoning, I’d REALLLY recommend that you roast the bird(s) first, as it’ll be basically the only flavor you’ll have.
Yes, I have done this and it can still produced a flavorful broth.
Can you use a Whole rotisserie chicken for this receipt?
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Rotisserie chicken works great!
I pull the meat off and roast the skin and bones, then cook them with carrots, celery onion and seasonings.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
Don’t forget to get all the drippings from the rotisserie container. That’s where a lot of the flavor has gone.