Making your own chicken bone broth is so simple! You get to control the quality of ingredients and the flavor. Most of the ingredients are ones you probably have on hand, too. The main difference between bone broth and stock is the length of time they are cooked. Bone broth is simmered for longer periods of time to extract the collagen from the bones, which gives the stock a gelatinous consistency when cold.
In recipes, the two are interchangeable. Yet bone broth is higher in protein and collagen, so it’s considered a healthier option.
Chicken Bones: start by saving chicken bones from chickens you cook yourself or rotisserie chickens if you wish. Any combination of bones will work if you only have legs, for example. I prefer whole chickens and cook them regularly. My youngest son is currently on a chicken wing kick and I save those, too.
An easy trick for removing the meat from the bones of a whole chicken is to take the warmed, whole chicken and place it in a 2-gallon freezer bag. Push the air out and seal it. Then start gently squeezing the meat off the bones right through the bag. Your hands never touch the chicken. It doesn’t take much pressure to get those bones picked clean. No getting meat under your fingernails either! After the meat is removed, separate into two containers: one meat and the other bones. Store the bones in the freeezer until you’re ready to make bone broth.
Vegetables: carrots and celery are the primary veggies to include. I also throw in a sliced lemon – yes I know its a fruit!
Aromatics & Herbs: these include onions, garlic and shallots if you have them. Any color onion will work here, but I prefer yellow for their color. I often keep the last layer of skin on if it is free of dirt. For herbs I use fresh, but dried work just as well. Use any combination of the following: rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, oregano, plus a knob of ginger, some turmeric, peppercorns, and a couple bay leaves. Keep in mind that your broth will have these flavors so do whatever ratios you want. Skip any flavors you don’t want.
Water: the last ingredient is water and I always use filtered, but tap water is just fine!
Super Easy Chicken Bone Broth
Equipment
- Crockpot, 4 quart or larger (preferred method, but a stock pot works, too)
- Freezer containers (4-cup deli ones work well)
Ingredients
- 8 cups Chicken bones (approximate amount)
- 1-2 onions cut in chunks
- 5-6 whole garlic cloves
- 2-3 celery ribs cut in half
- 2-3 carrots cut in half
- 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 lemon, sliced or quartered
- 8-12 cups water
Herbs – fresh or dried in any combination (if using dried, use 1-2 teaspoons each)
- 2-3 sprigs each rosemary
- thyme
- parsley
- oregano
- sage
- ½-1 teaspoon powdered turmeric
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 bay leafs
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a 4-quart or larger crockpot. Add water to cover by at least an inch.
- Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or until bubbling. Lower the setting to low and continue to cook for 18-24 hours. If using a stock pot, cover and cook until it starts to boil, then lower to simmer and continue to cook for 8-12 hours.
- I usually start my bone broth in the morning and let it simmer overnight. Do not cook overnight if using a stock pot!
- When done, bones should be very flexible when pressed with a spoon.
- Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer or colander into a large bowl, pressing on the cooked bones and vegetables to get all the juices.
- Refrigerate until cool. Divide among storage containers and label.
- Bone broth will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.
- Bone broth is great in soups, stews, risotto, gravy, casseroles, and to drink.
