A pot of rich, golden homemade chicken broth simmers on the stovetop. With slow rising tufts of steam and a percolating aroma that billows like a memory. It’s a warm blanket for the soul that serves to nourish our bellies and water the roots we call home.
This is one of those tried and true, no-recipe recipes. If you have chicken, veggies, herbs and spices, you can make homemade broth. Cook it longer with bones and it’s a rich stock or bone broth. Don’t have or want chicken? Omit it and make a vegetable broth. Have a few overripe tomatoes, toss them in. You get the idea. Following a strict recipe here is not necessary, but if you’ve never ventured to make your own broth before, I’ve gone and measured it out for you to give you an idea and help get you started.
A Culinary & Medicinal Staple
I make chicken broth throughout the year, not just when when the temperatures drop – although when it’s colder outside, I certainly make it more often. It’s a culinary and medicinal staple in my kitchen. If my children haven’t been eating as well as they should because of busy schedules, I make a big pot of soup to ladle from, no matter the season. Making a large pot on the weekend to pull from during the week can make a busy night easier. It’s also my go-to for a comforting meal after a long school day to hold them over until dinner. I tend to make two pots simultaneously and freeze one to have at the ready.
The process of simmering chicken bones and vegetables provides essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. These minerals are easy for the body to absorb, and chicken broth contains gelatin, which supports joint health by providing the body with collagen, the protein that maintains the integrity of cartilage – perfect for my young athletes.
Grandma was Right
One of the most celebrated benefits of homemade chicken broth is its ability to bolster the immune system. It’s not just an old wive’s tale, our grandmothers were right when they made big pots of soup for a cold or virus. The broth is packed with nutrients that support the body’s defense mechanisms. Amino acids like arginine, cysteine, and glutamine found in chicken broth play vital roles in immune function. The warm, soothing properties of the broth help to keep the body hydrated and comforted during illness, easing congestion.
Culinary Versatility
Beyond its health benefits, homemade chicken broth is a versatile ingredient. It serves as a base, or an addition, for soups, stews, sauces, and gravies, imparting a rich and savory flavor when it’s part of a larger meal. The ability to customize the broth with various herbs, spices, and vegetables will allow you to tailor it to your specific taste and nutritional needs.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Homemade chicken broth holds emotional significance. The act of preparing and savoring a bowl of homemade broth can be a comforting ritual, evoking memories of family and childhood. This connection to food is part of our roots – either by way of where we come from, but also what we are doing now for our own families.
Show me on Instagram!
If you give this dish a go, don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram, I’d love to see! Just make sure to tag me @chasingtheseasons so I don’t miss it!
Disclosure: As a way of supporting Chasing the Seasons, I may receive monetary compensation for my endorsement, recommendation, and/or link to any product(s). That support allows me to continue to share my recipes with you. I only recommend products that I love and/or personally use or are similar to the products I use – all at no additional cost to you. I sincerely appreciate all the love that has been given to this little blog of mine. Thank you.
Equipment
- 1 8-quart stock pot or one of similar size
Ingredients
Read through the recipe and notes beforehand.
- 1 3-5 lb whole chicken, raw cavity bags/paper removed. If choosing to include the giblets discard the liver.
- 1 whole celery stalk, trimmed, pulled apart and wiped clean, and cut in half or about 6 individual ribs
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut in half
- 1 large onion, cut in half if using organic you can leave the skin on, if the onions are small, use two
- 4 large garlic cloves, smashed if the cloves are small use additional cloves
- 1½ tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, whole or 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Parmigiano rind optional
- 16 cups fresh, filtered cold water, plus more as needed equal to one gallon
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 whole cloves (optional)
Be generous with the herbs as there is a lot of water to infuse with flavor. If using fresh herbs add them loose or make a bouquet with unwaxed kitchen string and cheesecloth. Dried herbs work great in a long simmered pot. Ground or powdered herbs will muddy the broth and are not recommended.*
- 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or about 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley, or a large handful (roughly 1 cup loosely packed) or about 2 tablespoons dried
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add the whole chicken, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, salt and peppercorns, cheese rind (if using), and herbs. Add the water making sure to keep about an inch of space to the top of the pot.
- Over medium heat bring the contents to a full boil. Then reduce and keep at a gentle simmer, making sure the bubbles that rise to the surface only occasionally break. Simmer, skimming any foam off the top, for about 2-3 hours, adding more water if needed to maintain the contents to about an inch from the top of the pot.
- Using a kitchen spider tool or comparable slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside (I prefer to add it to a large bowl to catch running juices) until cool enough to handle noting that it will fall off the bone so take caution. Once cool to touch, place it on a cutting board and remove the skin, clean and reserve the bones for future soups by keeping them in a bag in the freezer. Shred the chicken meat.
- Strain out and discard the vegetables and herbs, reserving carrots if desired for immediate use. Skim if broth yielded excess oil, see notes on how to avoid.
- Taste and make any adjustments to seasoning. Feel free to use the broth immediately for soup, reserving and slicing the carrots if desired. Adding the chicken and carrots to individual bowls along with a small cooked pasta or rice. Or, keep the shredded chicken on hand for other dinner options during the week and store the broth to use as needed. Freezes well.
Notes
- No Rapid Boil: Start with cold water and once it hits a boil, lower to prevent a rapid boil. Bubbling should just break the surface for the remainder of the cook time. A rapid boil for a period of time can make a cloudy and oily broth breaking down the chicken too fast.
- Refrigerate Overnight: The most effective method is to chill the broth in the refrigerator for 6–8 hours, allowing the fat to solidify on top, discard.
- Ice Cube Technique: If you need to use the broth immediately, fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and drag the bottom of the cold ladle across the surface of the warm broth; the fat will solidify and stick to the bottom of the ladle.
- Use a Fat Separator: A fat separator can be used to pour off the broth from the bottom while leaving the fat on top.
- Skim While Hot: Regularly skim the foam and fat off the surface with a spoon while the broth is simmering.
- Paper Towel Method: Lay a paper towel on the surface of the broth to absorb excess grease, depending on how much.
© chasingtheseasons. All images & content are copyright and trademark protected. Please do not use my photography without prior written permission. If you would like to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or kindly link back to this post for the recipe.
