Homemade Chicken Stock

This Homemade Chicken Stock recipe is easy to make – even for beginner cooks. All you need is leftover chicken bones, vegetable scraps, and a few hours of simmering to create this intensely flavorful cooking liquid which can be used in a multitude of ways. Homemade stock is worth the bit of extra effort as it is thicker, richer, and more flavorful than store bought stock.

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You can use this recipe for Homemade Chicken Stock in a variety of dishes from soups to skillet meals and risotto. It is a very useful recipe to know how to make.

Chicken Stock is one of the first recipes we made in culinary school because of its importance and versatility in cooking. Making homemade stock happens to be a simple process as well.

This recipe is an example of white stock – any bones that have not been roasted can be used to make white stocks. Homemade Chicken Stock is thicker and much more gelatinous than store bought, due to the collagen being extracted from the bones during simmering. This process results in a richer, more flavorful stock.

Carrots, onions, celery, and a handful of aromatics are added during the simmering process, which adds an extra layer of fresh flavor.

All you need is a large stock pot and a few hours to create this deeply flavorful stock which will enhance the flavor of any dish you may decide to use it in. You can even use Chicken Stock and broth interchangeably in any recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

Making Chicken Stock is pretty easy. You can use leftover chicken bones or part out whole chickens and use the carcass to make a stock. You can also use leftover carrot, celery, and onion scraps to add more flavor. I usually keep my leftover bits and ends of vegetables frozen until I have enough to make stock.

Homemade Chicken Stock is richer and more flavorful than store bought stock. The stock should be thick and gelatinous once it is cooked and cooled.

This recipe is versatile. You can use your homemade stock in soups, stews, braising meat, risotto, and sauces such as velouté.   

How To Make Chicken Stock

Ingredients

• Chicken Bones: you can use leftover bones or chicken carcasses after parting them out.
• Mirepoix: mirepoix is 50% onions, 25% carrots and 25% celery. 
• Aromatics: bay leaf, dried thyme, peppercorns and parsley in a sachet (cheesecloth and kitchen twine).

The entire recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

Chop the onions, carrots and celery.

Prepare the aromatics by crushing the peppercorns, then tie the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and parsley in a piece of cheesecloth with twine. 

Chef’s Tip: leave enough extra twine to be able to tie the end opposite of the sachet to the handle of your stock pot. It makes removing the sachet much easier later on.

Create!

Add the bones and one gallon (16 cups) of cold water to a large stock pot.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.

Skim any scum off that forms on the surface periodically.

Scum looks like white or off-white foam.

Add the vegetables and sachet to the stock pot.

Continue to simmer the stock for 3-4 hours.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer and refrigerate to cool.

Skim any solidified fat off of the top of the stock once it has cooled.

The chicken stock should now be thick and gelatinous. This is a sign of a well-made, rich stock.

Present!

Use or store, as desired.

You can freeze chicken stock in freezer bags or mason jars. 

Chef’s Tip: portion out stock into frequently used amounts, such as 1 cup, before storing or freezing.

Tips and Techniques

• You can use leftover chicken bones or part out whole chickens and use the carcasses.
• Leave enough extra twine to be able to tie the end opposite of the sachet to the handle of your stock pot. It makes removing the sachet much easier later on.
• Store stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. You can also freeze it for 3-6 months.

FAQ’s

What Is The Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?

Stock is made by simmering bones, which may or may not contain meat as well, mirepoix and aromatics for 3-4. This results in a thicker liquid that may become gelatinous, and even possibly gel when refrigerated, depending on how long it was simmered. It is typically left unseasoned.

Broth is made by simmering meat, which may or may not contain bones, mirepoix and aromatics in water for less than 2 hours. This results in a thinner, flavorful liquid that is usually seasoned.

Stock and broth can usually be used interchangeable in recipes.

Recipes That Use Chicken Stock

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