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Large pot filled with homemade chicken stock.
4.82 from 58 votes

Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

This homemade chicken stock is made with a whole chicken, roasted vegetables, and fresh herbs, then gently simmered until rich and flavorful. It makes approximately 12 cups of golden, full-bodied stock, plus several cups of tender cooked chicken for soups, salads, and casseroles.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 cups (approx.)
Calories: 295kcal
Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken - (approximately 4-5 pounds)
  • 1 pound chicken feet or chicken necks - (optional)
  • 2 medium yellow onions - quartered
  • 3 large carrots - unpeeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 ribs celery - chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 head garlic - unpeeled and halved crosswise
  • 1 small bunch fresh parsley
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tablespoon salt - (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • Cold water - enough to cover the chicken and vegetables

Instructions

  • Roast the chicken and vegetables (optional). Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity, reserving the neck for the stock if desired. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan and arrange the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic around it. Roast for 20-30 minutes, then carefully turn the chicken over and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are nicely browned. Watch closely to prevent burning. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage.
  • Combine the ingredients in a stockpot. Transfer the roasted chicken and vegetables to a large 12-16-quart stockpot. Add a splash of water to the roasting pan to loosen any browned bits, scraping them into the pot. Add the chicken feet or necks (if using), parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, sage, salt, and peppercorns. Pour in enough cold water to completely cover the chicken and vegetables.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer. Place the stockpot over medium heat and slowly bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. As the water heats, use a large spoon or ladle to skim away any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a small opening for steam to escape. Maintain a gentle simmer, with just a few small bubbles breaking the surface.
  • Remove and shred the cooked chicken. After approximately 1 hour of simmering, check the chicken with a meat thermometer. The breasts should reach at least 165°F, while the thighs and legs are best cooked to 175-185°F for tender meat. Once cooked, carefully transfer the chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet using tongs and a spatula for support. Let it cool until safe to handle, then remove the meat from the bones. Reserve the meat for other recipes and return the bones, skin, and cartilage to the stockpot.
  • Continue simmering the stock. Simmer the bones and vegetables for another 1-3 hours, keeping the heat low. Add a little more hot water if necessary to keep the bones submerged. Skim away any additional foam or excess fat. If the vegetables become extremely soft and begin falling apart, carefully remove them to help keep the stock clear.
  • Strain the stock. Remove the stockpot from the heat. Carefully ladle or pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean, heatproof pot or large bowl. For a clearer stock, line the strainer with cheesecloth. Avoid pressing on the cooked vegetables or bones, as this can make the stock cloudy. Discard the strained solids.
  • Cool and store. Cool the stock quickly using an ice-water bath or by dividing it into smaller, shallow containers. Refrigerate promptly. Once chilled, remove any hardened fat from the surface, if desired. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

Chicken: I chose to make this particular chicken stock recipe with one whole chicken and about a pound of chicken necks. The chicken necks (or chicken feet) are completely optional, but adding them increases the amount of collagen and gelatin, giving the stock more body. As for using a whole chicken rather than just the carcass? I did this on purpose for two reasons,
  1. I wanted the meat for soup (and quesadillas).
  2. I really wanted an extra rich, concentrated stock with loads of flavor.
Do you have to use a whole chicken in order to get a great stock? No. However, this will give you the best tasting stock.
Roasting before boiling - what's the deal with that? Yes, I browned my bird and veggies before dumping them in my large stockpot to simmer. Do you have to do this step? Well, no, but it does give extra flavor that you'll miss out on otherwise. Since there's no need to season your chicken or vegetables, it's just a matter of extra time. If you have some (time, that is) try it out. No time? No worries. Toss your raw chicken, veggies, and herbs in your pot, cover with cold water, and simmer.
  • If you are using chicken bones or a chicken carcass, you may choose to skip this step altogether or just roast the vegetables- entirely up to you.
  • Alternatively, if you are using chicken pieces (legs, wings, necks, bone-in skin-on thighs, you may also brown your chicken and veggies directly in your stockpot (as I did with this Instant Pot Bone Broth Recipe). It will take about the same time.
Stockpot: You will need a very large stockpot to make homemade stock. If you're looking to make a smaller amount of stock, I recommend using bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or legs instead of a whole chicken. For this recipe, however, try to use a 12-16-quart stockpot. If your pot is small, that's ok, just keep in mind that you will end up with a super-concentrated stock.
Adjust the herbs. Rosemary and sage add a stronger herbal flavor that's particularly good for holiday gravy and stuffing. Leave them out for a more neutral, all-purpose stock.
Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer- which is really better? The truth is that both work great. However, if you're looking for a beautiful, clear, golden broth then definitely go with the cheesecloth. In fact, for best results, run your broth through your cheesecloth two or even three times.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1168IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
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