How to Make Homemade Chicken Stock - 4 Easy Methods

Method 1: Make Stock Using Raw Chicken Parts (Economical Method)

1. This method is great for using up spare chicken parts that you’ve saved up from whole chickens. Chicken necks, backs, wings and legs make great stock. You can use a raw carcass that has been carved. You can also purchase chicken backs at many grocers, they are affordable and make wonderful stock. Whatever you end up using, it should add up to roughly 3 pounds. Many people swear by adding chicken feet; I don’t use them, but you can feel free. Do not use livers or hearts.For the best flavor, make sure at least 1 pound of your parts are meaty dark meat parts like wings, legs or thighs. This is not required, but it will give your stock an extra flavor boost. Some people prefer to roast the chicken parts prior to making the stock. I personally think this just overcomplicates what should be a simple process, and doesn’t add all that much in terms of flavor. To each his own!
2. In your 8 quart (or larger) pot, cover your chicken pieces with 5 quarts (20 cups) of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the top as it starts to cook.
3. Skim the foam into a large measuring cup, so you know how much liquid you’re removing. Continue skimming the foam periodically for the next 15-20 minutes until the surface of the water is nearly clear. Usually, it’s about 2 cups or so of liquid that is removed. Once you’re done skimming, replenish the water that you’ve removed with fresh water.
4. Add the celery, onion, parsley (no need to chop), garlic clove, kosher salt and peppercorns to the pot. Salt is optional here, you can certainly make stock without it and add salt later. I always add 1 tsp to the pot which gives it a mild salt flavor and keeps the sodium level reasonable - not salty by any means, but it helps the other flavors to pop.Add any additional ingredients you like from the optional ingredient list above. I generally stick to the basic ingredient list. Often I add saffron to the pot. If you would like to use saffron, add it now using the instructions at the very end of this post.
5. Bring pot back to a simmer. From this point on, it’s important not to let the soup come to a rolling boil. A slow and even simmer is best - if the stock boils quickly, it will become cloudy. No big deal, but if you’re looking for a golden pristine stock, avoid boiling. It should be bubbling below the surface (and a bit around the edges of the pot) - but not a rolling boil, where the majority of the surface is bubbling. Take it nice and slow.Cook for 5 hours. Check your stock periodically during the cooking process to make sure it continues to simmer low and slow.Remove from heat. Allow stock to cool to lukewarm. This may take up to an hour. You can strain the stock hot if you’re in a hurry, but do so very carefully.
6. Use a pair of tongs to pull out most of the chicken parts and vegetables, whatever is easy to grab (you’ll strain out the rest in a bit). If you’ve used wings, backs, legs, and/or thighs, separate any cooked meat from the bones and shred it for use in other recipes. Discard the bones.
7. When stock has cooled to lukewarm, strain it through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a 6 quart or larger pot or bowl. Discard the veggies and spices.
8. Now you have a flavorful stock to use in recipes.
9. If you refrigerate the stock, the chicken fat will collect on the surface. This is the schmaltz, and it’s liquid gold. You can use it as a flavorful cooking fat. However, I generally prefer to leave the fat in the chicken stock. It melts right away when you warm it up, and it adds a rich flavor and silky texture to your stock.When made as written here, this method produces roughly 2 to 2 1/2 quarts (8-10) cups of stock, 1/2-1 cup of shredded chicken (depending on parts used), and roughly 2-3 tbsp of schmaltz. You can easily adjust the salt content to taste.Feel free to cook stock longer than suggested here, or reduce stock further, for a more concentrated flavor. You can also reduce the stock for easier storage, then reconstitute with water when ready to use.

Method 2: Make Stock Using Cooked Chicken Carcass (Economical Method)

1. If you roast chicken on a regular basis, this is a wonderful method for using the carcass (rather than just discarding it). You can also use Cornish game hen carcasses, or bones and skin from any cut of cooked chicken, as long as it adds up to around 2 to 3 pounds of carcass (equivalent of a carcass from a 4 to 6 pound chicken). Note that in using this method, your stock will be mildly flavored with whatever spices or herbs you used to roast or cook your chickens. If using a raw carcass, follow the instructions using Method 1 (above).Carcass stock made from cooked chicken is generally weaker than stock made from other methods. To fortify your carcass stock, you can add 1 pound of raw dark meat parts like wings, legs or thighs. This is not required, but it will give your stock an extra flavor boost. Avoid using gizzards like livers or hearts.In your 8 quart (or larger) pot, cover your chicken pieces with 6 quarts (24 cups) of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the top as it starts to cook. There likely won't be much foam if your carcass is cooked; if you've added some raw parts, those will produce scum which should be removed. Skim any scum into a measuring cup. Once you’re done skimming, replenish the same amount of water that you’ve removed with fresh water.
2. Add the celery, onion, parsley (no need to chop), garlic clove, kosher salt and peppercorns to the pot. Salt is optional here, you can certainly make stock without it and add salt later. I always add 1 tsp to the pot which gives it a mild salt flavor and keeps the sodium level reasonable - not salty by any means, but it helps the other flavors to pop.Add any additional ingredients you like from the optional ingredient list above. I generally stick to the basic ingredient list. Often I add saffron to the pot. If you would like to use saffron, add it now using the instructions at the very end of this post.
3. Bring pot back to a simmer. From this point on, it’s important not to let the soup come to a rolling boil. A slow and even simmer is best - if the stock boils quickly, it will become cloudy. No big deal, but if you’re looking for a golden pristine stock, avoid boiling. It should be bubbling below the surface (and a bit around the edges of the pot) - but not a rolling boil, where the majority of the surface is bubbling. Take it nice and slow.Cook for 5 hours. Check your stock periodically during the cooking process to make sure it continues to simmer low and slow.
4. Remove from heat. Allow stock to cool to lukewarm. This may take up to an hour. You can strain the stock hot if you’re in a hurry, but do so very carefully.Use a pair of tongs to pull out the chicken carcass and vegetables, taking out whatever is easy to grab (you’ll strain out the rest in a bit). If you’ve used wings, backs, legs, and/or thighs, separate any cooked meat from the bones and shred it for use in other recipes. Discard the bones.When stock has cooled to lukewarm, strain it through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a 6 quart or larger pot or bowl. Discard the veggies and spices.
5. Now you have a flavorful stock to use in recipes.
6. If you refrigerate the stock, the chicken fat will collect on the surface. This is the schmaltz, and it’s liquid gold. You can use it as a flavorful cooking fat. However, I generally prefer to leave it in the chicken stock. It melts right away when you warm it up, and it adds a rich flavor and silky texture to your stock.When made as written here, this method produces roughly 3 quarts (12 cups) of stock, 1/2 cup of shredded chicken (if additional raw parts are used), and roughly 1/2 tbsp of schmaltz (may be more if you also used raw chicken parts). It’s a medium-sodium stock - just enough salt for flavor, but not too much to overwhelm. You can easily adjust the salt content to taste.Feel free to cook stock longer than suggested here, or reduce stock further, for a more concentrated flavor. You can also reduce the stock for easier storage, then reconstitute with water when ready to use.

Method 3: Quick Chicken Stock Using Leg and Thigh Pieces (Fastest Method - sometimes referred to as broth)

1. For a quick and very flavorful stock, use 3 pounds of chicken leg and thigh pieces (whole legs). Some cooks refer to this as broth rather than stock, due to the fact that it won't contain the gelatinous mouth feel that slowly simmered stock does. For recipe purposes, stock and broth are generally interchangeable. Using dark meat pieces will produce a thicker, richer "broth" that is very similar to stock, though not quite so gelatinous. This method is also very fast, which is favorable.The benefit to this method is that you’ll have some lovely, tender chicken legs and thighs when you’re done cooking the stock. Known as “boiled chicken,” it’s considered a comforting treat by many. You can enjoy this chicken as an entree, seasoned with a little salt and pepper (or your favorite sauce). You can also shred the chicken and save it for other uses.In your 8 quart (or larger) pot, cover your chicken pieces with 5 quarts (20 cups) of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the top as it starts to cook.
2. Skim the foam into a large measuring cup, so you know how much liquid you’re removing. Continue skimming the foam periodically for the next 15-20 minutes until the surface of the water is nearly clear. Usually, it’s about 2 cups or so of liquid that is removed. Once you’re done skimming, replenish the water that you’ve removed with fresh water.
3. Add the celery, onion, parsley (no need to chop), garlic clove, kosher salt and peppercorns to the pot. Salt is optional here, you can certainly make stock without it and add salt later. I always add 1 tsp to the pot which gives it a mild salt flavor and keeps the sodium level reasonable - not salty by any means, but it helps the other flavors to pop.Add any additional ingredients you like from the optional ingredient list above. I generally stick to the basic ingredient list. Often I add saffron to the pot. If you would like to use saffron, add it now using the instructions at the very end of this post.
4. Bring pot back to a simmer. From this point on, it’s important not to let the soup come to a rolling boil. A slow and even simmer is best - if the stock boils quickly, it will become cloudy. No big deal, but if you’re looking for a golden pristine stock, avoid boiling. It should be bubbling below the surface (and a bit around the edges of the pot) - but not a rolling boil, where the majority of the surface is bubbling. Take it nice and slow.Reduce heat to medium low so the soup is slowly simmering. Let the stock gently cook uncovered for 60-75 minutes.
5. Test for doneness by pulling one of the leg pieces from the thigh. It should easily separate and flake tenderly, showing that the chicken has become quite tender. Once this happens, your stock is done.Remove from heat. Allow stock to cool to lukewarm. This may take up to an hour. You can strain the stock hot if you’re in a hurry, but do so very carefully.
6. Use a pair of tongs to pull out most of the chicken pieces and vegetables, whatever is easy to grab (you’ll strain out the rest in a bit).When stock has cooled to lukewarm, strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a 6 quart or larger pot or bowl. Save the chicken, discard the veggies and spices. Cooked chicken can be eaten as an entree, or incorporated into other recipes.
7. Now you have a flavorful stock to use in recipes.
8. If you refrigerate the stock, the chicken fat will collect on the surface. This is the schmaltz, and it’s liquid gold. You can use it as a flavorful cooking fat. However, I generally prefer to leave it in the chicken stock. It melts right away when you warm it up, and it adds a rich flavor and silky texture to your stock.When made as written here, this method produces roughly 2 1/2 - 3 quarts (10-12 cups) of chicken stock, 3 cups of shredded chicken, and 2 tbsp of schmaltz. It’s a medium-sodium stock - just enough salt for flavor, but not too much to overwhelm. You can easily adjust the salt content to taste.Feel free to cook stock longer than suggested here, or reduce stock further, for a more concentrated flavor. You can also reduce the stock for easier storage, then reconstitute with water when ready to use.

Method 4: Make Chicken Stock Using the Slow Cooker

1. For this stock, use 3 pounds of chicken wings, or 3 pounds leg and thigh pieces, or a combination of these equaling 3 pounds.In a slow cooker, combine 3 pounds of chicken, the celery, onion, parsley (no need to chop), garlic clove, kosher salt and peppercorns to the slow cooker. Salt is optional here, you can certainly make stock without it and add salt later. I always add 1 tsp to the pot which gives it a mild salt flavor and keeps the sodium level reasonable - not salty by any means, but it helps the other flavors to pop. I usually don’t add any other ingredients to the slow cooker version, it’s best when it’s kept clean and simple. Cover ingredients with 3 quarts of water.
2. Set slow cooker to either 5 hours on high, or 10 hours on low. Cover and let the ingredients slowly simmer together in the cooker.
3. At the end of cooking, uncover and let the stock slowly cool. When stock has cooled to lukewarm (may take an hour or longer), remove the largest pieces of chicken and vegetables. Strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a large pot or bowl. Save the chicken, discard the veggies and spices. Cooked chicken can be eaten as an entree, or incorporated into other recipes.
4. Now you have a flavorful stock to use in recipes. If you used it, the saffron gives it a hint of a special flavor, and a golden color that is just lovely.
5. If you refrigerate the stock, the chicken fat will collect on the surface. This is the schmaltz, and it’s liquid gold. You can use it as a flavorful cooking fat. I generally prefer to leave it in the chicken stock. It melts right away when you warm it up, and it adds a rich flavor and silky texture to your stock.When made as written here, this method produces roughly 2 1/2 to 3 quarts (10-12 cups) of stock, 1 1/2 to 3 cups of shredded chicken (depending on pieces used), and 3-4 tbsp of schmaltz. It’s a medium-sodium stock - just enough salt for flavor, but not too much to overwhelm. You can easily adjust the salt content to taste.

Adding Saffron to Stock - Recommended for Flavor and Color

1. If you would like to use the optional ingredient of saffron in your stock, add it after skimming the foam with the other stock ingredients (parsley, onion, etc.).Crush the saffron threads in a mortar and pestle until pulverized.
2. Add the crushed saffron to the soup pot. Ladle a little hot water from the pot into the mortar to rinse out any saffron that clings to it, making sure all of the saffron finds its way into the pot.Continue cooking your stock as described above. The saffron will infuse the broth with a special essence and enhance the lovely golden color.

How to Make a Stock Sack

1. I hate throwing away food that has gone bad; it’s such a shame seeing food being wasted because we did not get around to cooking it before it spoiled. Having a stock sack in your freezer can really help you avoid some of that waste. Just place a large reusable freezer bag (or disposable version) in your freezer. When you have stock-friendly ingredients that you won’t be using anytime soon, freeze them in the stock sack. The first time you add something to your stock sack, label it with the date - that way you know how long you have to use the contents. You should cook the contents of your stock sack within 6 months.
2. After carving a roast chicken, put the carcass in your stock sack. Chicken neck leftover from your giblets? Stock sack.  Remember that half onion you cooked with earlier in the week? Stock sack the unused half before it goes bad. The green parts of leeks, green fennel stalks, and other inedible parts of stock-friendly vegetables can go in the stock sack. Really, any traditional chicken stock ingredient can go in your stock sack (see "Ingredients" and "Optional Ingredients" lists above). When you’re ready to make chicken stock, just toss the items from your stock sack into your pot before you make stock.

How to Use Leftover Shredded Chicken from Stock Pot

1. Shredded chicken can be added to soup, used as a filling for kreplach or dumplings, on top of salads for a boost of protein, in chili, as a taco filling (after seasoning), or mixed with barbecue sauce to create shredded barbecue chicken sandwiches. There are many possibilities!

How to Store Chicken Stock

1. There are quite a few ways to store chicken stock for future use. Here are some of my favorite methods.Chicken stock can be stored in glass mason jars in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just make sure you cool the stock completely before filling your jars, to avoid risk of shattering.
2. Freeze your stock for longest shelf life. Chicken stock can be frozen for up to 6 months in the back of a refrigerator freezer, or up to 12 months in the deep freezer. I always use my label maker to label stock with the date before putting in the freezer, that way I know exactly when I made it and how long I have to use it.I really like freezing stocks and soups using Souper Cubes. These trays are wonderfully versatile, easy to stack, and have clear measurements on the openings. The cubes measure at 1 cup each (they also have 1/2 cup lines and 2 cup options). All you need to do is pop out a cube of frozen stock and you’re set! They're a little pricey, but I find them super convenient and easy to use.
3. I also like these reusable silicone bags for storing stock. They’re a more economical and eco-friendly alternative to disposable plastic versions, as they can be reused many times - just wash and air dry them on a rack before reusing. They’re water tight and store somewhat flat, so they won’t take up a bunch of space in your deep freezer (they’re also great for marinating!). I usually fill a gallon bag with 12 cups of stock, leaving some air and room for expansion as the stock freezes. Make sure you place your reusable bag into a large heavy mixing bowl (or some other sturdy protected surface) before filling, to avoid a spill.
4. Stock can also be frozen in glass mason jars, but with caution - stock jars are known to shatter and can be finicky if you’re not careful. Stock should be completely cooled before adding it to the jars. Make sure you use wide mouth jars and only fill 3/4 of the way to the top - this allows for expansion of the broth as it freezes. If you’re using a jar with “shoulders” (rounded edges - not a wide mouth jar) make sure your stock level line is well below those shoulders to avoid the risk of shattered glass. Also when storing frozen stock in jars, make sure that the jars are not touching one another in the freezer.
5. I hope this tutorial has been helpful! Feel free to comment and share your own tips and tricks for making delicious and healthful homemade chicken stock.