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homemade chicken stock

(2 ratings)
frenchtutor avatar
Recipe by
Susan Feliciano
@frenchtutor
Oak Ridge, TN

If you use cooked chicken frequently, you can always have homemade chicken stock on hand. This can be done on the stove top, or in a crock pot if you have 6-8 hours to cook a chicken.

(2 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For homemade chicken stock

  • 3-4 lb
    chicken or chicken pieces, bone-in and skin on
  • 1 1/2 qt
    water
  • 2
    stalks celery, with tops
  • 1 sm
    onion, peeled and cut in quarters
  • 1 md
    carrot, peeled and cut in chunks
  • 3-4 lg
    garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tsp
    whole black peppercorns
  • 2 Tbsp
    fresh thyme or rosemary
  • 1 tsp
    sea salt, more or less to taste

How To Make homemade chicken stock

  • 1
    Chicken may be left whole, or cut into pieces. Place chicken in a large soup kettle or large crock pot. Cover with the water (use more if necessary to cover, but use at least the quart and a half).
  • 2
    Cut celery into large pieces, and place celery with tops, onion, carrot, garlic, peppercorns and thyme or rosemary in the water around the chicken. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for one and a half hours (or cook on low power for 6 hours in the crock pot).
  • 3
    When chicken is very tender, remove meat from bones and save for a dish requiring cooked chicken. Leave skin and bones in water with vegetables.
  • 4
    Increase heat and lightly boil until liquid is reduced to about a quart (or turn to high in crock pot and cook for 2 hours uncovered).
  • 5
    Taste chicken stock, and add sea salt if desired. Do not make the stock as salty as you would soup to serve, because it will be used in other recipes calling for more salt. You may also omit the salt if desired.
  • 6
    Pour stock through a strainer into freezer containers or mason jars. Chill in refrigerator. As stock cools, any fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off if you want a low fat stock.
  • 7
    When cool, cover tightly and transfer to freezer. This should keep up to 3 months in your freezer.
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