A Simple Guide to Making Chicken Stock from Scratch

Chicken stock serves as the foundation for soups, sauces, and adds depth to dishes like rice, stews, and pasta. While store-bought versions are available, making your own is both cost-effective and rewarding. It’s a great way to use leftover chicken bones or parts from a roasted chicken. Additionally, leftover scraps of onions, carrots, and celery from other meals can be saved and frozen to enhance the flavor of your homemade stock. Want to save money and create the best stock? Let’s dive in!

How to Create Delicious Chicken Stock

Yields approximately 2 quarts

Ingredients Needed

• 2 pounds chicken parts such as back, neck, wings, and bones
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 15 whole black peppercorns (optional)
• 1 bay leaf (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the raw chicken into a large pot. For a richer flavor, you can optionally roast the chicken parts in the oven for 20 minutes at 400°F before starting the stock.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Since they’ll be discarded after infusing the stock, there’s no need to chop them finely: simply quarter the onions or cut them into large pieces. Peel the carrots and trim the ends, then cut them into thirds or coarsely chop them. You can add the entire stalk of celery, leaves included—just be sure to wash the leaves well. Cut the celery into chunks and add to the pot.
3. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf (if using) to the pot, then fill it with enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring the water to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the stock to simmer for 2 hours, skimming any foam off the surface with a ladle to keep the stock clear and golden.
4. After 2 hours of simmering, remove the chicken and vegetables. These ingredients will have released all their flavor, so they can be discarded. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any leftover solids.
5. Let the stock cool at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight. Once chilled, skim off any remaining fat from the surface.

The final stock should be a clear, light golden-brown color with little to no fat on the surface. It’s now ready for use in your favorite recipes.

How to Properly Store Homemade Chicken Stock

• You can store it in the fridge for up to three days, or, if you don't need the full amount for soup, pour it into smaller containers and freeze for up to 6 months. Then you'll have small amounts ready to use when making a sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, casseroles, or rice dishes.
• You can even freeze stock in ice cube trays and pop the pieces into a freezer bag. Use them when you need to add just a little bit of stock to thin or flavor a recipe.

VIDEO: How to Make Quick Chicken Stock

Looking for a faster option? Learn how to make chicken stock in your pressure cooker! 'This easy yet flavorful stock works for any dish,' says Liam Walshe. 'The pressure cooker is the secret to speed here! You’ll need a good-sized pressure cooker for this recipe. The result is the same rich stock you'd get from 8+ hours of slow simmering. It's perfect for using up a leftover chicken carcass from dinner, even if it's from a store-bought rotisserie chicken! I prefer to season the stock at the end to control the salt level precisely.'

Explore our collection of delicious recipes using chicken stock