cook · Cook
How to Make Chicken Stock from Scratch
Real chicken stock takes a whole chicken or bones, aromatic vegetables, and time. Simmer everything together for 2-4 hours until the liquid is golden and rich. Strain out the solids and you have liquid gold that puts store-bought to shame.
- Total time: 2 hr 30 min
- Hands-on: 20 min
- Serves: 8
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds chicken bones and meat
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks with leaves
- 1 large onion
- a few garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- some parsley stems
- a few peppercorns
- 12 cups water
Step by step
- Gather your bones and meat. Use a whole chicken, chicken backs and necks, or leftover roasted chicken bones. About 3-4 pounds total. Raw bones give cleaner flavor, roasted bones add deeper color and richness.
- Prep the aromatics. Roughly chop 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks with leaves, and 1 large onion. No need to peel anything. Throw in a few garlic cloves, smashed. Add a bay leaf, some parsley stems, and a few peppercorns.
- Put everything in a large pot. Use your biggest stockpot. Add the chicken, vegetables, and herbs. Cover with cold water by about 2 inches. You need at least 12 cups of water for a good stock.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Heat over medium-high until you see bubbles breaking the surface. Then immediately turn the heat down to low. You want barely bubbling, not a rolling boil. Boiling makes cloudy, greasy stock.
- Skim the foam. Gray foam will rise to the surface in the first 30 minutes. Skim it off with a ladle or large spoon. This keeps your stock clear. After the first hour, you can mostly ignore it.
- Simmer low and slow. Keep it barely bubbling for 2-4 hours. Longer gives more flavor. Add water if the level drops below the bones. The chicken meat will fall apart after 2 hours - that's normal.
- Strain the stock. Pour everything through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot or large bowl. Press the solids gently to extract liquid, but don't force it. Discard all the solids.
- Cool and store. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The fat will solidify on top - scrape it off before using. Stock keeps 5 days in the fridge, months in the freezer.
Tips & troubleshooting
- Save vegetable scraps in the freezer - onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves all add flavor
- Never add salt while making stock - season the final dish instead
- Good stock will gel when cold thanks to the collagen from bones and skin
- Freeze stock in ice cube trays for easy portioning
- Start with cold water to extract maximum flavor from the bones
Variations
- Roasted Chicken Stock. Roast the chicken bones and vegetables at 425°F for 45 minutes before simmering. Gives deeper, richer flavor and darker color.
- Asian-Style Stock. Add ginger slices, scallion whites, and star anise. Omit the traditional herbs. Perfect for ramen or Asian soups.
- White Stock. Use only raw bones, never roasted. Keep the simmer extra gentle. Results in very pale, clean-tasting stock ideal for delicate sauces.
Questions
- Can I use a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
- Yes to both. Slow cooker on low for 12-24 hours. Pressure cooker for 90 minutes with natural release. Both work, though stovetop gives you more control.
- Why is my stock cloudy?
- Usually from boiling too hard or not skimming the foam. Cloudy stock still tastes good, just not as pretty. Keep the simmer gentle next time.
- How do I know when it's done?
- The liquid should be golden and smell rich. Taste it - if it tastes like chicken water, keep going. Good stock has body and flavor that coats your mouth slightly.
- Can I reuse the bones?
- You can make a second, weaker batch. Add fresh vegetables and simmer another 2-3 hours. The flavor won't be as strong but still useful for cooking grains or lighter soups.