5 from 369 votes
How to Make Chicken Broth
How to Make Chicken Broth uses a whole chicken or cut pieces simmered gently with onion, carrot, celery, and a sachet of parsley, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns. The simmering time ranges from 1 to 5 hours, creating a rich and clear broth. Skimming foam early on ensures clarity, and removing chicken breasts after an hour prevents drying. This broth is strained and chilled to develop flavor. Fresh ingredients and careful simmering produce a versatile, flavorful broth for soups, sauces, or cooking grains.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings:
8
cups
Calories:
13 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
French
Ingredients
- 1 to 5 pound chicken cut into pieces and giblets removed (see note 1 & 2, whole
- water about 12 cups (see note 3, cold
- 1 medium onion peeled and halved
- 1 large carrot peeled and coarsely chopped, or 2 medium carrots (see note 4)
- 1 celery coarsely chopped, rib
- 1 tablespoon salt
Sachet (see note 5):
- 6 parsley fresh stems
- 1 prig thyme fresh
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns whole
Instructions
- To a Dutch oven or large stock pot, add chicken and cold water to cover (see note 3).
- Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and skim the foam off the top.
- To the pot add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. If desired, tie parsley stems, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns to make a sachet or add loosely to the pot (see note 5).
- Simmer gently (bubbles should barely break the surface at irregular intervals) until the chicken is cooked through, at least 1 hour or up to 5 hours. The longer the broth simmers, the more flavor it will have. (NOTE: After 1 hour, you should remove the chicken breasts from the pot to prevent them from drying out).
- Remove chicken from pot to a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl. Separate chicken, discarding skin and bones (you should have about 4 cups chicken).
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Place in a large bowl and chill covered overnight in the refrigerator.
- The next day, scrape off the accumulated fat from the top of the stock and discard. Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (leaving at least 1/2-inch for expansion), label, and freeze. Or, refrigerate and use within 4 days.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Use cold water at the start to achieve a clear broth.
- Remove chicken breasts after 1 hour to prevent drying out.
- Fresh vegetables for the broth provide better flavor than scraps.
- Herbs and spices in a sachet make it easier to remove solids after cooking.
- Store broth in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1cup
Calories
13kcal
(1%)
Carbohydrates
3g
(1%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
1g
(2%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
1mg
(0%)
Sodium
884mg
(37%)
Potassium
69mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
1589IU
(32%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
12mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 13
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 13kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 884mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 69mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 1589IU | 32% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 12mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.