Homemade bone broth is a magical elixir! Not only is it good for you, but it’s also delicious. Whenever I make a roast chicken, I use the leftovers to make this chicken bone broth recipe.
Sip it on its own or use it as a base for soups and stews. I always have a surplus of extra chicken broth in the freezer.
Once you realize how easy it is to make (and how much tastier it is) you’ll never buy another can of broth again!
What are the benefits of bone broth?
- It’s good for your gut. Bone broth is highly nutritious and contains collagen proteins, minerals, and omega fatty acids that help heal the gut.
- It’s good for your joints. Collagen is also excellent for the health of connective tissues: the joints.
This bone broth recipe is the one I usually use for poultry (turkey or chicken).
When I make chicken broth, I usually take the whole chicken, meat and all, and place it in a large pot with the remaining ingredients. I use leftover chicken to make chicken salad, chicken enchiladas, or soup recipes.
You can also use leftover chicken bones. If you’ve made baked or roasted chicken and have leftover bones, you can use them to make bone broth.
If you don’t have leftover chicken bones, you can purchase chicken wings, thighs, and feet to use in this recipe.
What you will need
- Chicken. Bone broth is made with leftover chicken bones. Alternatively you can use chicken wings and thighs which have a lot of bones and less meat. I’ve also used a whole chicken and then simply scooped out the meat to use for soup or chicken salad.
- Onions. 1 yellow onion cut into quarters. I leave my skin on.
- Carrots. 2 or 3 carrots, washed and unpeeled. Break them in half.
- Celery. 2 or 3 stalks of celery cut into pieces small enough to fit into the pot.
- Fresh herbs. Add thyme, parsley, rosemary and sage. Use what you have around.
- Spices. You can use some or all of these spices. Bay leaves, juniper, whole allspice, whole mustard, whole black pepper, whole pink pepper.
- Apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar extracts collagen from connective tissue. You want it in your bone broth. It is highly nutritious.
Frequently asked questions and expert advice
Save vegetable scraps and store them in the freezer. Celery, onion, carrot and fresh herb clippings can be stored in a freezer bag and used to make stock and stock when you have extra bones.
Apple cider vinegar is an essential ingredient in making bone broth. It helps extract all the nutrients (minerals and proteins) from the bones.
You need to bring the water to a boil. Getting things hot enough is essential for making bone broth. You need that heat to break down proteins.
Instructions
Bone broth can be made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot.
How to make bone broth on the stovetop
You will need a large pot to make the bone broth.
- If using, place chicken bones and legs in a large pot.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns.
- Fill the pot with enough filtered water to cover the bones.
- Add apple cider vinegar (it helps remove minerals and collagen from bones during cooking and is a key ingredient).
- Bring to the boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface with a large spoon.
- Reduce the heat to LOW and simmer, covered, for 24 hours, adding more boiling water, if necessary, to keep the bones submerged.
- After 24 hours, remove from the heat and let the broth cool slightly before filtering it through a fine mesh strainer.
- The broth can be stored in glass jars with lids in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (remove the hardened layer of fat before using).
How to make instant pot bone broth
- Add bones, vegetables, herbs/seasonings, apple cider vinegar and plenty of water to your Instant Pot. The water level should be just below the “maximum fill” line.
- Lock Instant Pot lid in place, turn vent valve to “Seal”
- Select “Manual” (if you have a newer Instant Pot and don’t have a manual option, select “Soup/Broth” and make sure the setting is on “High Pressure”) and adjust the time to 120 minutes.
- At the end of the cooking time, allow the pressure to release naturally (this should take 20-30 minutes).
- Allow to cool, then strain into storage containers (I like to use glass jars) to store in the fridge or freezer.
Easy soup recipes
I always keep extra bone broth in the freezer to have on hand when I make a bowl of soup.
Use this broth to make My Aunt Jayne’s Dumplings or a simple turkey soup (which can also be made with chicken).
Chicken Bone Broth Recipe
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Easy Nutritious Bone Broth. This is a great staple to have in the freezer and can be used as a base for any recipes that call for canned broth. Homemade broth is much tastier and more nutritious!
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Add everything to a large pot, using the whole chicken or turkey, including giblets and neck bones. (I use leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner for the turkey broth.)
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Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes, but be careful not to let the pot boil over.
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Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours (add more water if necessary), then let the mixture cool.
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Pour the liquid through a strainer and store this bone broth in a large container for storage!
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Once the meat is cool enough, remove the bones and save it for other recipes. Discard the vegetables.
Alternatively, ask your butcher for bones. They are usually really cheap. Remember that here the real nourishment comes from the connective tissue so the crow’s feet, neck and spine also work. They are rich in connective tissue that breaks down during cooking.
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Calories: 15kcalCarbohydrates: 3GSodium: 23mgSugar: 1GSoccer: 18mgIron: 0.2mg
