Last Updated on March 21, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
This foolproof chicken broth recipe is simple and flavorful. It is richly savory with sweet notes of sweet bay and fresh thyme. It can be enjoyed as a drink or used to make nutritious soups like Wild Mushroom Soup or Tomato and White Bean Soup.
What is chicken broth?
Bone broth is made from bones. Chicken broth, however, is traditionally made with whole chickens, or the meaty portions of the chicken. This broth simmers faster and has a delicate taste. This recipe also contains onion, garlic, and herbs that enhance the flavor and add richness to the broth.
Tips to Make Good Homemade Chicken Broth
In reality, you can make chicken broth if you have the ability to boil water. It is easy and straightforward. However, it takes some skill and nuance to make homemade chicken broth.
Rub the chicken with salt.
The coarse salt helps remove any debris from the chicken’s skin, which can muddy the chicken broth’s flavor. This is particularly important if the chicken is pasture-raised from a local farm since they have more debris, like small feathers, attach to them.
Boil it twice, but discard the first broth.
Although it may seem wasteful to boil the bird twice, just to discard the first broth, this produces exceptional results. Blanch the bird to enhance its clarity and flavor of the bird. If you decide to skip this step, you may find your chicken broth muddy in appearance and flavor.
Any foam that rises to the surface should be skimmed.
A gray foamy substance will rise to the surface of a pot when you boil the raw chicken. This scum is made up of protein fats and can add off-flavors to your broth. Therefore, it needs to be removed to improve the flavor, and the chicken broth’s color and clarity.
Vegetables and Herbs are to be added at the end.
Most vegetables and herbs should be added at the end of the cooking process, with the exception of onion and garlic. They can cause your chicken broth to taste bitter, unpleasant, and overcooked if you add them in the beginning.
When freezing the broth in jars, leave plenty of headspaces.
Your chicken broth will expand in the freezer since water expands when frozen. So, make sure to leave at least 2 inches of headspace, and use a wide-mouthed jar when freezing it in a glass container.
Take out the chicken meat.
After the chicken has cooled to room temperature, you can safely remove the meat and make chicken salad, chicken chili, or any other dish that calls for leftover chicken.
Don’t forget to add salt before serving.
A little sea salt makes chicken broth taste better. However, it should be added at the end of the recipe right before serving. The liquid evaporates while the broth coos, so adding it too early may give you a very salty flavor.
Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings |
| 5 mins | 4 hrs | 4 hrs 5 mins | 2 quartz |
Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Broth
- 1 (3-4 pound) chicken
- ¼ cup coarsely ground real salt
- water (enough to cover)
- 1 large yellow onion (quartered)
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Fine-mesh Sieve
- Skimmer
Instructions for Making Chicken Broth
The First Boil
- First, scrub the chicken with coarse sea salt, and rinse the chicken properly under cool water.
- Put the chicken in a large pot, and add enough cold water until it covers the chicken by about 2 inches. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium, and let it continue to boil for 20 minutes. Any foam that rises on the surface of the broth needs to be skimmed and discarded.
- After 20 minutes, drain the broth, and remove the chicken from its pot. Then, rinse it one more time with cool water to remove any scum or debris clinging to the chicken’s skin. Also, rinse the stockpot, and wipe it clean using a dishcloth.
The Second Boil
- Place the chicken back into the clean pot, and add the onion, garlic, and peppercorns. Cover the chicken with water by two inches, and add the wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours. Don’t forget to remove any scum that appears on the surface.
Finishing the Chicken Broth
- Add the bay leaves and thyme to the broth, and let it cook for another 30 minutes. Next, remove the chicken carefully, and strain the broth into jars using a fine-mesh sieve. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for approximately 6 months.
- Then, you can get the leftover meat from the carcass, and use it for recipes that need cooked chicken, like chicken chili or enchiladas.
How to Use Homemade Chicken Broth
- Skim off any excess fat that has risen to the surface of the broth after it sits in the fridge, and discard it. You can then use the broth according to your recipe. Or, pour the broth into a pan, and let it heat up to 165°F. Season with salt and serve.
