I make soup all year long, so having good broth on hand is a must. For years, I stocked up at the grocery store, but once I learned how to make chicken broth from scratch, I never looked back. This recipe is rich, flavorful, and made with just 10 simple ingredients. A few special touches (like soy sauce for extra umami and a hint of cloves for warmth) really set it apart from store-bought. Once you try this homemade version, you’ll always want a batch in the fridge or freezer.
Homemade Chicken Broth from Scratch
Different from chicken stock, my homemade chicken broth recipe uses both the meat and bones of two whole chickens, so you get a rich body and depth of flavor. I simmer everything with carrots, onions, celery, garlic, herbes de Provence, peppercorns, bay leaves, and a few secret ingredients that make all the difference. The soy sauce layers in savoriness, while the cloves add subtle spice and complexity.
This simple chicken broth is perfectly balanced and seasoned, and it tastes amazing in everything from chicken noodle soup to chicken flavored rice. Learning how to make chicken broth at home is one of the easiest cooking skills you can master, and it instantly upgrades any recipe that calls for broth.
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Season with a Light Hand
When it comes to chicken broth seasoning, it’s better to season lightly while cooking and adjust at the end. The broth will reduce as it simmers, concentrating the flavors (and the salt). After straining, give it a taste; if it’s flat, add a pinch more kosher salt or a splash of soy sauce to bring everything to life.
Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens (*)
- 3 large yellow onions (unpeeled and quartered**)
- 1 head garlic (unpeeled and halved, optional)
- 6 large carrots (washed, unpeeled and quartered)
- 4 ribs celery with leaves (washed and halved)
- 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 6 quarts cold water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water.2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens, 6 quarts cold water, 3 large yellow onions, 1 head garlic, 6 large carrots, 4 ribs celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, 4 dried bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon low-sodium 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.
Notes
- This is my favorite spice blend for a warm and balanced broth that works well in all kinds of dishes. To spice up this broth, add in some crushed red pepper or chilis.
- This broth is what I would call “reduced sodium”. It’s naturally much lower in sodium than store-bought, but it is not “low sodium” by definition. A truly low-sodium broth should have 140mg or less of sodium per 1-cup serving.
- To further reduce the sodium content, you can reduce the amount of salt and/or soy sauce used.
- You can simmer this broth for up to 8 hours, but I always recommend removing the chicken meat at 2½ hours so it doesn’t get overcooked.
- To easily remove the meat from the bones, pull the chicken 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!
- The longer you cook the broth, the more concentrated the flavor will be, the more collagen it will have, and the more gelatinous it will set up in the fridge.
- Don’t throw out the fat! The fat is not only highly nutritious but is excellent for preventing freezer burn when stored in the freezer. It is also a useful ingredient for sauteeing your leftover veggies.
- Nutritional information is for the broth only, not the cooked chicken.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Broth from Scratch Step by Step
Start the Broth: Place 2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens, 3 large quartered yellow onions, 1 whole halved head of garlic, 6 quartered carrots, 4 halved ribs of celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons of herbes de Provence, 4 dried bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons of whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water. If your chickens don’t quite fit, you can separate them into parts so they fit properly in the pot. Just note that this may reduce the initial cooking time, so start checking for doneness early!
Simmer the Broth: Bring your broth to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F. If you parted your chicken, it may take as little as 30-40 minutes for the chicken pieces to cook through, so check early and often.
Remove the Chickens: Carefully transfer the chickens to two large bowls. Remove the chicken meat from the bones by pulling the chicken 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. 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. It will get saltier as it cooks and reduces. Continue cooking the chicken broth for another 1½ hours. While the broth reduces, cut or shred the chicken meat and save it for other meals. (It freezes beautifully.)
Strain the Broth: After the broth is finished cooking, strain it through a colander and discard the remaining solids. You can eat the leftover veggies, but they will likely taste pretty bland and be a bit mushy. I’ve found they’re great pureed to thicken up sauces and stews.
Store and Enjoy: Refrigerate the broth overnight, then use a ladle or spoon to skim any surface fat off the next day. You can save the fat and use it like cooking oil! If your homemade chicken broth looks gelatinous after chilling, that’s a good sign! It means you’ve pulled collagen from the bones, which gives homemade broth its rich body. It will liquefy once you reheat the broth.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store homemade chicken broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop until warmed through. Defrost frozen broth before using it in other recipes.
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