Homemade Chicken Broth is so easy to make, you won’t need to buy it from the store anymore. This delicious recipe is made with lots of vegetables, spices, and chicken to create the perfect flavor. Learn how to make chicken broth and use it in all of your soups this winter season!
What’s in Homemade Chicken Broth?
This homemade chicken broth recipe combines chicken (both meat and bones) with veggies like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. It’s cooked all together in a pot with herbs and spices, and comes out perfect.
- Chicken: Use two 5 lb. roasting chickens to get the best chicken flavor. (Chicken Stock uses bones only, but broth uses both meat and bones.)
- Vegetables: Veggies like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic make for an ultra-flavorful chicken broth.
- Herbes de Provence: This savory herb blend creates the best flavor!
- Bay Leaves: An herb that always tastes amazing with chicken-flavored dishes.
- Cloves: Cloves provide just the right amount of warm, sweet spice to balance out the savory notes.
- Black Peppercorns: Peppercorns add a woodsy, piney flavor.
- Salt: Salt is necessary to bring out all the great flavors.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a nice umami flavor that’ll richen the taste.
How can I change the flavor of this broth?
To spice up your homemade chicken broth, add in some crushed red pepper or chilis.
For a bit of Asian influence, add in some fresh ginger, lime juice, scallions, and soy sauce.
And if you’d rather swap out the chicken for a different protein, use a small whole turkey or beef shank instead!
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There are plenty of ways to use up your veggies after making your broth. You could make vegetable soup, veggie stir fry, make a frittata or quiche, or blend them into a veggie dip! The options are endless.
No! The fat is not only highly nutritious but is excellent for preventing freezer burn when stored in the freezer. It also is a useful ingredient for sauteeing your leftover veggies.
Once you’re ready to take the chicken out of the broth, you’ll have to remove all the meat. To do this, start by pulling it apart with your hands so that the wings, body, legs, and thighs are all separate. Then pull the white meat off the body, keeping the pieces as large as possible. Don’t forget about the wing joints and wishbones as well — there’s good meat hiding in there!
How to Store and Reheat Chicken Broth
Store your chicken broth in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Then use as instructed in any recipe that calls for it.
You can also gently heat it on the stove (simmering and stirring) and eat/drink it on it’s own. It’s the perfect liquid for sick days.
How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Broth
Pour your homemade chicken broth into freezer-safe containers, and it will keep for up to 3 months. You can portion off the broth before freezing to make it easier to grab and thaw when you’re ready to cook.
Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 5-pound young roasting chickens (whole)
- 6 quarts cold water
- 3 large yellow onions unpeeled and quartered
- 1 head garlic unpeeled and halved, optional
- 6 carrots washed, unpeeled and quartered
- 4 stalks celery with leaves washed & halved
- 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablepoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water.2 5-pound young roasting chickens (whole), 6 quarts cold water, 3 large yellow onions, 1 head garlic, 6 carrots, 4 stalks celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, 4 dried bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablepoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2½ hours.
- Carefully transfer the chickens to two large bowls. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and set aside.
- After removing the meat from the bones, place the bones and the excess broth (from the bones) back into the stockpot. Season to taste – the broth should taste lightly salted.
- Continue cooking the chicken broth another 1½ hours.
- While the broth reduces, cut or shred the chicken meat and save for other meals. (It freezes beautifully.)
- After the broth is finished cooking, strain it through a colander, and discard the remaining solids.
- Refrigerate the broth overnight, then remove the surface fat the next day.
- The broth will be slightly gelatinous, but it will liquefy and add a rich, lovely flavor when heated.
- Keep the broth refrigerated and use within 3 days, or pour into freezer containers (or zip-top bags) and freeze up to 3 months.
- Enjoy!
When I make chicken broth, I usually just throw a chicken carcass (from roasting) and a bunch of other stuff. I can’t wait to try this, which sounds way better!!
I hope you love it, Altie!