Homemade Chicken Stock (Easy Low Waste Recipe)

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Homemade Chicken Stock (Easy Low Waste Recipe)

An easy, nutrient-dense homemade chicken stock that's more flavorful than anything store-bought. This recipe uses leftover chicken bones and vegetables to make a low waste, cost-effective and collagen-rich stock.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time8 10

Course: Soup

Keyword: Soup, Stock, Stovetop

Servings: cups

Calories: 21kcal

Author: Jenna

Equipment

1 large pot
3-4 large mason jars or other containers

Ingredients

3-4 lbs chicken bones, skin and fat (whole carcasses, chicken pieces; turkey bones work too - see Note 1)
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
3-4 stalks celery, chopped into large pieces
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 head garlic, skin on and top sliced off
2 handfuls fresh herbs or herb stems (such as thyme, parsley, cilantro or rosemary; see Note 2)
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
3 dry bay leaves
Any other vegetables of choice (see Note 3)
8-12 cups cold water (depending on the size of your pot; see Note 4)
Salt, to taste (see Note 5)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the chicken pieces, vegetables, herbs, peppercorns and bay leaves in a large pot
Cover with cold water until just submerged - about 12-14 cups; the less water, the richer the stock (see Note 4)
Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, skimming foam off the top as needed
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 4 hours but ideally 8
Strain the stock, then season with salt to taste (or skip the salt and just add it when you use it in recipes; see Note 5)
Transfer to mason jars or containers and let cool
Once cooled, skim the fat off the top - the stock should have a thick, jelly-like consistency
Store in the fridge and use within 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months (make sure you leave extra space in containers if you plan to freeze it because the stock will expand slightly as it freezes)

Video

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Notes

Note 1: You can use any leftover chicken or even turkey bones for this recipe. Whole carcasses from rotisserie chickens, leftover holiday turkey bones, chicken pieces, you name it. I like to save bones in a bag in my freezer and make a batch whenever I have enough. You can also make stock from uncooked raw bones, but it's not necessary. You can get a perfectly rich stock from cooked bones, you just need more of them. If you're using uncooked bones, you only need 2 lbs.

Note 2: Fresh herbs add depth of flavor to your stock. You can use pretty much any you have on hand. Parsley, cilantro, rosemary, sage, thyme and even dill are all great options. You can use whole bunches, or just the stems. I like to freeze my herb stems instead of discarding them, so I always have some on hand when it's time to make stock.

Note 3: Feel free to throw in any other vegetables of your choice or anything you have in your fridge that's going bad! Corn or corn cobs, the dark green parts of leeks, bell peppers, tomatoes or squash are all great options. A couple things to avoid: don't use too many cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower because they can make your stock taste bitter. Don't add too many earthy vegetables like potatoes or beets because they can give the stock a strong, dirt-like flavor. A little bit is fine, just don't overdo it.

Note 4: The less water you use, the richer your stock will be. Pour water into your pot until the bones and vegetables are just covered and everything is submerged. Depending on the size of your pot, you'll likely need between 10-14 cups.

Note 5: I often skip the salt until I'm ready to use the stock. That way, I can adjust the salt to taste based on the recipe I'm using it for. If you prefer to store the stock already seasoned, you'll need about 2 tsp-1 tbsp of salt.

Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate. Nutrition information for this recipe is based on a serving of 1 cup.

Nutrition