Homemade chicken stock is so rich and full of flavour, and so easy to make with just a couple of minutes prep time. Just put everything in a pan and then let it simmer away until you have a flavour packed chicken stock that has so many uses.
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This is the only chicken stock recipe you will ever need. It has the perfect balance of flavour, not to mention it's super simple to make. It is so much better than just using a stock pot or cube, and well worth the wait for it cooking away.
We use this homemade chicken stock in everything from soups, stews, sauces and gravies. It has so many uses and is just one of those comforting, and money saving, recipes that everyone should know how to make. If a recipe calls for chicken stock, using homemade is going to improve the flavour of that recipe SO much.
If you are looking for some other recipes that reduce food waste, why not try our Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi, Leftover Chicken Pasta or Chicken and Pea Risotto?
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Why you will love it
- The BEST flavour - If you have wondered why restaurant soup or stews always taste so much better, it's because they pretty much always use homemade stock. You just can't compare store bought stock to homemade. Totally different flavour levels.
- Easy - You might have looked at the cooking time for making chicken stock and presumed that it is difficult. It really isn't. You already have the chicken carcass leftover, and then just chop a bit of veg and then put it all into a pan to simmer away. Pretty much zero effort.
- Reduced food waste - Once you have carved up the roast chicken, don't throw the carcass away. It has SO much flavour in it and makes the best stock.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken carcass - This is chicken stock from a carcass, so there is no need to cook any chicken. Just use the leftovers from a roast dinner. Why not try our Best Roast Chicken Recipe or Slow Cooker Whole Chicken? The chicken carcass (also known as chicken frame) is the bones and cartilage that is left after all the meat is cut off. You might think you have cut all the meat off, but there is actually so much left on the carcass (as well as fat), which is perfect for flavouring the chicken stock.
- Carrot, Celery and Onion - This is the standard base for many stocks. They add a little sweetness, as well as freshness to the chicken stock. You can add other vegetables like parsnips and leeks too.
- Parsley - This adds lots of flavour and freshness to the chicken stock recipe. Thyme works well too.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make chicken stock - Step by step
Prep: Chop the carrot and celery into 5cm/2inch pieces. Peel and quarter the onion.
One: Add all the ingredients to a large pot.
Two: Cover with water.
Three: Bring to the boil then immediately reduce to your hob's lowest heat. Simmer for 2 hours, occasionally discarding any froth that may collect on the top.
Four: Using a large slotted spoon, remove all the vegetables and as much chicken, bones and skin as possible.
Five: Place a fine mesh bag over a jug and pour the remaining liquid into it (a). Strain out all the liquid (b). Allow to cool and transfer to an air tight container. Store in the fridge.
How to use homemade chicken stock
There are SO many recipes with chicken stock, meaning that if you have a big batch of this, then it will have a lot of uses. None of it needs to go to waste. Any recipe that calls for chicken stock, you can use this homemade version.
Rice - Rice dishes just soak up all that delicious stock. Some of our favourites are our Greek Rice or Chicken and Pea Risotto.
Stews - A rich and comforting stew needs a homemade stock to add a lot of extra flavour. Why not try our Slow Cooker Chicken Chasseur, Slow Cooker Chicken Korma or Sausage and Bean Casserole?
Soups - This chicken stock recipe gives a real depth of flavour to homemade soups like our Butter Bean Soup, Leftover Turkey Soup of Chicken Noodle Soup.
Storage
Store: Once fully cooled, chicken stock can be kept in air tight jars in the fridge for up to 4 days. Never put hot stock in the fridge.
Freeze: You can store it in a freezable container for up to 6 months. Make sure you leave space between the stock and the top of the container, as the stock will expand as it freezes. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for recipes that call for a smaller amount.
Defrost: You can defrost in the fridge overnight or in the microwave. You can run the container under a hot tap to loosen it and then melt it in a saucepan. At a push, you can just add frozen stock to the other simmering ingredients and it will melt fairly quickly.
Reheat: As the stock goes jelly like and solidifies in the fridge, you can use it straight away like this as it will quickly melt back to liquid form in a pan with the other ingredients you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stock is made from bones (in this case, a chicken carcass), while broth is made mostly from meat (like shredded chicken) or vegetables (like carrot, onion and celery). Stock tends to create a thicker liquid because of the bones. Whereas broth tends to be thinner and more flavourful. They do have a couple of differences, but many people use them for the same purposes.
Yes, you can. Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-8 hours.
Some people will use cuts of chicken, like breast and thigh to make up stock, but that's not how we do it. Firstly, it's wasteful as the cooked chicken you are left with won't have the same flavour and nutrition, as it will all be in the stock.
These have been stripped of pretty much all their flavour and nutrients now after simmering for this amount of time. Any chicken left can be stripped and fed to a dog, but the rest can be thrown away.
You might need to simmer it a bit longer until it is to your desired consistency.
If you don't have time to make up the chicken broth straight away, then you can freeze it until you are ready to make it.
If you have cloudy chicken stock, that is totally normal. If you haven't skimmed the fat off, this will give a cloudy stock. It's also because of the added vegetables and seasonings. If you want a clear stock for making Pho, then make sure you are skimming it.
Extra tips
• If you want to make sure that you are extracting as many nutrients from the chicken bones as possible, then add a little splash of apple cider vinegar to the stock. You won't be able to taste it.
• Try not to break or crush the carcass in the pan, as this will discolour the stock and you want a nice clear stock.
• If the stock produces any foam when cooking, skim that off to give a clearer stock.
• As the stock cools in the fridge, the fat will rise to the top and solidify. You can scrape this off if you want a clearer stock for using in chicken noodle soup. But if you are using it to make a flavour packed stew, there is no need to do this.
• You need to use a pan big enough for everything to fit snuggly in. Don't worry if the bones stick out a little at first, as they will collapse as they cook.
• If you want this stock to go further, then add a stock cube and 250ml extra water. You will still have that homemade flavour, but it will stretch a big further.
• Season your stock as you go and add more as needed.
Recipes that use chicken stock
If you've tried this homemade chicken stock, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken carcass
- 1 rib of Celery
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Onion
- 15 g (0.5 cups) of Fresh parsley
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the carrot and celery into 5cm/2inch pieces. Peel and quarter the onion.
- Add all the ingredients to a large pot.
- Cover with water.
- Bring to the boil then immediately reduce to your hob's lowest heat. Simmer for 2 hours, occasionally discarding any froth that may collect on the top.
- Using a large slotted spoon, remove all the vegetables and as much chicken, bones and skin as possible.
- Place a fine mesh bag over a jug and pour the remaining liquid into it. Strain out all the liquid.
- Allow to cool and transfer to an air tight container. Store in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to make sure that you are extracting as many nutrients from the chicken bones as possible, then add a little splash of apple cider vinegar to the stock. You won't be able to taste it.
- Try not to break or crush the carcass in the pan, as this will discolour the stock and you want a nice clear stock.
- If the stock produces any foam when cooking, skim that off to give a clearer stock.
- As the stock cools in the fridge, the fat will rise to the top and solidify. You can scrape this off if you want a clearer stock for using in chicken noodle soup. But if you are using it to make a flavour packed stew, there is no need to do this.
- You need to use a pan big enough for everything to fit snuggly in. Don't worry if the bones stick out a little at first, as they will collapse as they cook.
- If you want this stock to go further, then add a stock cube and 250ml extra water. You will still have that homemade flavour, but it will stretch a big further.
- Season your stock as you go and add more as needed.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Gina Abernathy says
Homemade chicken stock is always so much better than store bought. This was so easy to make and the flavors are amazing.
Andrea says
Super easy to make and great flavors in this chicken stock. It's a perfect base for so many dishes.
Nancy says
Wow this homemade chicken stock is yummy and so easy to make. Now I can repurpose my chicken bones
Tara says
Oh yum! Such a great and versatile use for leftovers. I love all the flavor packed into this stock.
Janessa says
Yum! Nothing beats homemade chicken stock- we made chicken noodle soup with it and it was fantastic.
Claudia Lamascolo says
Great recipe, and perfect timing when we need to save money with ridiculous price hikes!
Toni says
This is great!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Michelle says
Homemade stock is so much better! And with these high grocery prices, I'm learning to make as many things homemade as possible!