An easy, step-by-step tutorial for how to make Chicken Stock on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Making homemade Chicken Stock is the gateway to taking any broth-based recipe to the next level; the flavor is incomparable and you will never buy store-bought again!
Why I make my own stock:
- Healthy and flavorful: Simmering bones to make stock has next-level depth of flavor that you can't get from chicken broth or store-bought stock and it takes any recipe to the next level! Also, I love knowing and controlling exactly what's in my stock.
- Easy: I grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco for $5 and feel good that I can use the meat in several different recipes, and instead of wasting the carcass, I use it to make healthy and flavorful homemade broth!
Difference Between Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock:
The biggest difference between the two is chicken broth is made from simmering the meat and vegetables, and chicken stock is made from simmering the bones, which removes extra flavor and collagen from the bones (which is why stock has a jello-like texture when it's refrigerated).
You can use stock and broth interchangeably in most recipes, but chicken stock has richer depth of flavor and is highly preferred for recipes where it's the “star”, like in chicken noodle soup. In my opinion, it's hugely worth it to make chicken stock from scratch!
How to make Chicken Stock:
Remove Meat from the rotisserie chicken. Place meat in a covered container in the fridge to add to the soup later, or freeze chicken meat for up to 3 months.
Add leftover bones and skin from the rotisserie chicken to a large stockpot. Add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and water.
Bring mixture to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, for even richer flavor.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer, discarding bones, vegetables, and seasonings so you are only left with a clear, smooth stock. Stir in chicken bouillon.
Store in refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Use to make homemade chicken noodle soup!
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Refrigerate the stock for use within 3-4 days. (Note that it will take on a gelatin-like texture in the fridge, but will liquidize once warmed again). After refrigerating, skim off any fat that rises to the surface.
To Freeze: Measure out the stock in freezer safe bags in batches of two cups each. This way, when you pull one out, you know there is exactly 2 cups of homemade chicken stock!
Instant Pot Chicken Stock:
Place chicken bones and skin, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and water into Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release.
Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer, discarding bones, vegetables, and seasonings so you are only left with a clear, smooth broth. Stir in chicken bouillon. Store in refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipes with Chicken Stock:
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta
- Chicken Tetrazzini
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Recipe
Chicken Stock
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken , meat removed so you're only left with bones and skin
- 2 ribs celery , with leaves, cut into chunks
- 2 medium carrots , cut into chunks
- 2 medium onions , cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 8 cups cold water
- 2 Tablespoons Better than bouillon chicken paste* , or 6 chicken bouillon cubes
Instructions
- Place rotisserie chicken, vegetables, spices and water into a large soup pot.
- Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours or longer.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Strain stock through a fine sieve strainer, discarding all vegetables and seasonings so you are only left with the stock. Season with chicken boullion paste, to taste.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Skim off the fat that rises to the top. If not using within a few days, freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe April 2019. Updated September 2021.
This post contains affiliate links.
I’ve made this stock several times and it is the absolute best. I usually do the minimum two hour cook, but have decided to cook overnight this time and I’m so excited for the outcome. I did a double recipe this time, because one batch never seems to be enough. Ialso added a head of garlic to this batch, because let’s be honest, garlic is amazing in everything. Now to decide which soup to make with it.
This is the best chicken stock I’ve ever made or used. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I have been doing this for years, without the veggies. Even better with them, like your recipe. I lay my freezer bags flat in the freezer until they are frozen, then stack them. So easy to find and pull from freezer when needed.
Oh thank you! I’m going to use it to make your chicken noodle soup tonight. Soooo excited!
The jelly-like texture is due to the collagen extracted from the bones. That is super healthy!
It’s good to know that this recipe does extract the collagen; I thought you needed to add an acid like apple cider vinegar to the cooking process to do so. I’ll have to try this now 🙂
I made the chicken broth last night and put it in the fridge overnight. This morning, it’s a jelly-like texture. Is that normal, or should it be liquid?
Yes, that’s completely normal! It will turn to liquid when you warm it.
Yum! got to tell this to my family, they are chicken fanatics!!
Why do you need to add chicken bouillon at the end? Isn’t that what the recipe makes?
Genuinely interested 🙂
I add it for stronger flavor–the broth will be really mild on it’s own.
Yeah my thoughts exactly. “The broth will be really mild in it’s own.” That means you need a better recipe. If you’re doing it right, you don’t need to add processed garbage to make it taste good. Read the label on chicken Better Than Bouillon – it’s full of salt, sugar, corn syrup, etc. Imho it is being used here to mask a lousy recipe. It’s very easy to make delicious stock without adding BTB.
So how do you make delicious stock without the Bouillon? You seem to be pretty knowledgable
Thanks for your leftover chicken recipes! I usually eat the parts I like and throw the rest away. I always wonder if there are any not so good ingredients in those rotisserie chickens. I look forward to trying all of these ideas including the chicken broth recipe. I usually stud one of my onions with cloves and often throw in a few spices that I’m in the mood for. Be careful of using some of the bouillon and other flavor enhancers. They tend to have MSG and other undesirable ingredients. If you have a clean brand that you use, I’d love to know about it!
Msg has been proven to be safe. The whole msg scare was a made up controversy that people accepted and promoted without any research.
Great recipe!
Your recipes are so wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing with everyone. We have absolutely loved all that we have tried. Look forward to hearing from you soon.
I like your bone broth recipe which I need to try one day. My knife skills aren’t the best, so I usually buy Kettle and Fire’s chicken and beef bone broths, which can be a bit pricey.
Excellent!! This is my go to broth recipe now. I have made it several times now and it turns out so tasty. I use this along with the Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, and that is also a favorite!