I must confess that even though I love to cook, I never made homemade chicken broth until last year. Why? Probably for the same reason that most of you don’t: making homemade chicken broth always seemed like a hassle. However, all the recent hype about the health benefits of bone broth (honestly, what doesn’t this stuff cure?) got me thinking that maybe I needed to give it a try. And then I stumbled upon this super easy homemade chicken broth recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine. It seemed like a sign.
Health Benefits of Homemade Chicken Broth
The health benefits of homemade chicken broth are fairly amazing. It turns out that our grandmothers were right. Homemade chicken broth really can help cure the common cold. Why? Because it contains tons of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals in a form that the body can easily absorb. Homemade chicken broth is also stock full of chondroitin and glucosamine, thanks to the broken down cartilage and tendons. Both of which have been proven to seriously help with arthritis and joint pain which is something many of us are becoming way too familiar with these days.
Will Save You Money
Furthermore, making your own homemade chicken broth will save you money. Since this recipe makes way more broth that little old me can use at any one time, I freeze it in easy to defrost bell jars. You know, the kind that homemade jam comes in. You can buy them by the dozen at your neighborhood Ralphs. This way, I always have homemade chicken stock at the ready to use in soups, sauces or simply to drink as a yummy, nourishing, low-cal snack.
Easy to Make
And the best part about this recipe is that it is super easy. Oh, and it will make your home smell amazing. And you will have a pile of perfectly cooked, shredded chicken meat when you’re done which you can use in a soup recipe like my Flu Season Soup or Chicken Sausage, Kale & White Bean soup (substitute for the sausage). Or you can toss it with some spices for a fun taco Tuesday. Or sauté it with some olive oil and greens for a fast, healthy lunch or dinner. Or freeze it for later. The options are endless.
Easy Homemade Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 3 lb. chicken free range, if possible
- 2 medium carrots peeled, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 medium celery stalks cut into 2" pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1/2" wedges
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Using a sharp paring knife and your fingers, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water and place into a large (at least 8 quart), heavy duty pot or dutch oven. Cover with cold water (about 5 quarts).
- Place the lid on the pot, leaving it slightly ajar and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, occasionally skimming off any white foam from the surface until there is no more foam. About 30 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot along with 1 1/2 T of salt and 2 t of pepper. Simmer until the vegetables begin to soften and the chicken is completely cooked through. About 20 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, continue to simmer the broth, partially covered. Pull the chicken meat from the bones, using your fingers, and shred into bite size pieces, discarding any gristle or fat. Set aside shredded chicken.
- Return the chicken carcass to the pot and cook for another 30 minutes. If at any time the water level drops below the solids, add more water.
- Remove the carcass from the broth and discard. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids with a heavy spoon to squeeze out any remaining broth. Once done, you should have about 3 quarts of delicious homemade chicken broth.