Homemade Chicken Broth is one of the easiest things to make and it tastes so much better than any chicken broth you will buy in the store. Homemade chicken broth makes all the difference when you are making your favorite soup recipes at home and many other delicious recipes! With these easy detailed instructions you will learn how easy it is to make your own homemade chicken broth.

Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

I love making homemade chicken broth. It tastes so much better than using the store bought chicken broth. I also like that after I am done making chicken broth I have a whole chicken that I can use for other things. It is a great way for me to plan ahead and make multiple things at one time. So anything that you use shredded chicken for you can use the cooked chicken from making this homemade chicken broth in.

You are going to LOVE this homemade Chicken broth recipe! Plus it is one of the easiest things to make homemade!

Is it worth it to Make your own Broth?

Yes! The biggest perk of making your own broth is that you know what is in it. You control the sodium levels in it, as many of the store bought are higher in sodium than making it at home. I have tried the store bough low sodium and I think it is gross.

If you are a person who sticks to organic eating, then you will save a lot of money by buying an organic chicken (that you can use the meat in other meals later) and organic veggies then buying cartons of organic chicken broth.

Aside from that it only takes about 10-15 minutes to prep the chicken and veggies and then sits on the stove for a few hours, and you don’t have to do anything to it. When it is done cooking straining takes just a few minutes to do.

Can I make Chicken Broth with just the chicken carcass?

Yes. When I am making my chicken broth I like to use a full raw chicken and cook it so I get the best flavor for my chicken broth. You can use this method with just a chicken carcass but that is traditionally called chicken bone broth.

Difference between Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock?

Homemade chicken broth is sometimes referred to as chicken stock but there are is one technical difference between the two. Chicken broth is made with the whole chicken and the meat on the chicken, while chicken stock is made with the bones from a chicken.

Should you put herbs in chicken broth?

No. Adding herbs while making chicken broth will make it bitter. If you are wanting to use herbs and spices you will add them to the recipe that you are making that calls for chicken broth. If you want a richer flavor broth then you can add a few more veggies to the pot and you can cook it at a low simmer for longer than 2 hours. I do not recommend cooking it for longer than 3 hours at a low simmer though.

What Vegetables are used in Chicken Broth?

I use celery, carrots, and onions when making mine. However, you can also change up the veggies in your stock and also use things like mushrooms, parsnips, and leeks.

What do you do with the Chicken Meat?

If you are using a full raw chicken to make homemade chicken stock you are going to have cooked chicken at the end. I don’t like to have any waste in our house so I use the chicken meat in other recipes. You can use the chicken meat from making chicken broth in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken. You can use it for slow cooker recipes, chicken soup, or any of your other favorite recipes that use cooked chicken as an ingredient. You can also remove the meat from the bone and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge or in freezer-safe containers and then freeze it to use later when you are cooking.

overhead photo Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

How to change the Chicken Broth Flavors

You will want to use this recipe as the basis for your chicken broth. After making it the first time making it you can add more of the veggies that you want to to give it a stronger flavor profile if you want to. If your family loves the flavor of onions, add more. If your family loves the flavor of carrots add more carrots. One of the best things about homemade chicken broth is how easy it is to customize to the flavor profile that you prefer.

How long do you Simmer homemade chicken broth for?

When you are making homemade stock you want to cook it from cold to a boil and then let it simmer. The slow cooking simmer is what makes the flavor of the broth come out and makes the delicious homemade broth flavorful. You do not want to skimp on the cook time, it is important for getting an amazing chicken flavor in the homemade broth.

How to Store Broth

Storing broth is easy and must be stored in the fridge or freezer. When storing in the fridge, you can store it in ziploc bags or my favorite way which is in a mason jar. It is important to store broth in an air tight container.

How long does Homemade chicken broth last in the fridge?

Homamde broth will last for 4-5 days in the fridge.

How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Broth

There are multiple ways to freeze homemade chicken broth. However, I find the easiest way to freeze chicken broth is to pour it into ice cube trays and freeze the broth. Then once the broth is frozen store it in a ziploc freezer bag.

You can also cool your chicken broth and then pour it into a freezer bag and freezer it by laying it flat in the freezer.

The most important thing to remember when freezing chicken broth is that you put a date on it. Chicken Broth will keep in the freezer for 6 months or a deep freezer for 12 months.

Be sure to check out the full instructions for how to freeze soups and stocks.

I love freezing things, if you do as well, be sure to check out these other great posts for freezing things!

What to make with Chicken Broth

Chicken broth is used for many different things, while most people think the main use is in soup there are many other amazing recipes that use chicken broth. Chicken broth is great for using as a cooking liquid when you are making grains like rice and quinoa. It is also great to use as a braising liquid for chicken and vegetables.

If you have a stock of chicken broth you are looking to use up check out some of these awesome recipes!

Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe ingredients

Supplies Needed to make Chicken Broth

Large Stockpot
Cheesecloth
Colander

Homemade Chicken Broth Ingredients

whole raw chicken or a chicken carcass
3 stalks celery
1 large onion
1 large carrot
water

How to make homemade chicken broth

Place the whole raw chicken or the chicken carcass into a large stockpot. Cover the chicken with cold water so that the water is at least 1 inch above the chicken.

Place the large stockpot on the stove and turn your stove burner to medium heat.

Cut the onion in half and add it to the pot.

Dice the celery and carrots and add them to the pot.

Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low once it is boiling.

Let the homemade chicken broth simmer for 2 hours.

Then remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool.

Strain the broth with cheesecloth or in a colander to remove all impurities and the onion, carrot, and celery.

You will be left with clear full of flavor broth.

Use the broth right away or freeze.

Use the cooked chicken in any recipe that you want to or store and save for later.

Homemade Cooking Staples