Making homemade chicken stock is far simpler than it sounds, surprisingly economical, and full of deep, savory flavor. The next time you roast a chicken — or pick up a rotisserie one for dinner — save the bones and turn them into a pot of stock you’ll be glad to have on hand.
Making homemade chicken stock is one of those kitchen skills that sounds intimidating, but couldn’t be more approachable. This is a truly beginner-friendly recipe — all you do is add chicken bones and a few vegetable scraps to a pot or slow cooker, cover everything with water, and let it gently simmer. Once it’s done, a quick strain is all that stands between you and a deeply flavorful stock.
The beauty of this method is its flexibility. There’s no exact measuring required — just cover whatever bones and vegetables you have with a few inches of water and let time do the work. In its simplest form, chicken bones and water are enough to create a rich, savory stock, but adding onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and a few herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, or parsley brings even more depth. It’s also a great way to reduce food waste, using up bones and vegetable odds and ends that might otherwise get tossed, while stretching your grocery budget a little further.
I always keep a few bags of homemade stock tucked in my freezer — sometimes it’s made with chicken bones, other times it’s beef bone broth , and often a mix of bones saved from different dinners. No matter how it’s made, it adds incredible flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. Once you realize how easy it is, this becomes one of those quiet kitchen habits that just makes everything you cook taste better.
Chicken stock vs broth
You may wonder, “Is chicken stock the same as chicken broth?” Great question!
Stock is usually made from bones, whereas broth is typically made from raw meat. In this instance, you are making chicken stock , since you’ll be using the bones. Chicken stock made from bones delivers a deeper flavor and richer color than the broth made from raw meat.
When it comes to cooking with stock versus broth, you can use them interchangeably.
What kind of chicken bones should I use
Most often, I use either the carcass of a store-bought rotisserie chicken or roast chicken or the leftover bones from baked chicken thighs . You can also use chicken feet, neck, or wings.
While you can use raw chicken (which I do if I debone chicken thighs), the best flavor comes from using roasted chicken. Regardless of the bones you’re using, you will simmer them in water for several hours to extract all the goodness and create a soul-warming chicken stock.
How to store homemade chicken stock
Fridge: Store chicken stock in jars with lids, like mason jars. It will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Resealable bags, like these Stasher bags , are ideal for storing stock. I keep some in 1-cup and 4-cup portions, so the amount I need is always handy to thaw. It will keep for at least 6 months in the freezer.
Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ 4 lb chicken bones (or enough to fill your pot halfway full of bones)
- ▢ 16 cups cold water (or enough to cover the bones with 2-3 inches of water)
Optional vegetables
- ▢ 1 cup chopped onion (leave the skin on for color!)
- ▢ 1 cup chopped celery
- ▢ 1 cup chopped carrots
- ▢ 6 cloves garlic (unpeeled and crushed with the side of your knife)
- ▢ Rosemary branch, a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, a handful of parsley
Instructions
- Break the bones into smaller pieces and then add them to the pot. If you’re using vegetables and herbs, put them on top of the bones. Add the water, making sure to cover the bones by 2-3 inches. 4 lb chicken bones, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup chopped carrots, 6 cloves garlic, Rosemary branch, a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, a handful of parsley
- Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat. DO NOT let it boil or your stock will be dirty-looking. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer very gently for 3-4 hours.
- Use a pair of tongs to remove any larger bones from the pot. Set a colander over a large bowl and then strain the stock.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over another large bowl and strain the stock once more to remove any small pieces.
- OPTIONAL STEP: for extra flavorful stock, return it to a clean pot and boil rapidly until it reduces by ⅓ to condense the flavor.
- Cool the stock for no more than 1 hour on your counter then put it into your fridge to cool completely. If a fat-layer forms on top of the cold stock, remove it before using the stock. The stock will keep for 3 days in your fridge. Or transfer it to freezer-safe containers and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Slow Cooker Method
- Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker then set it on low for at least 8 (or up to 24) hours. Follow the instructions above to strain and store the stock.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken bones , or enough to fill your pot halfway full of bones
- 16 cups cold water , or enough to cover the bones with 2-3 inches of water
Optional vegetables
- 1 cup chopped onion , leave the skin on for color!
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 6 cloves garlic , unpeeled and crushed with the side of your knife
- Rosemary branch, a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, a handful of parsley
Instructions
- Break the bones into smaller pieces and then add them to the pot. If you’re using vegetables and herbs, put them on top of the bones. Add the water, making sure to cover the bones by 2-3 inches. 4 lb chicken bones, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup chopped carrots, 6 cloves garlic, Rosemary branch, a few sage leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, a handful of parsley
- Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat. DO NOT let it boil or your stock will be dirty-looking. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer very gently for 3-4 hours.
- Use a pair of tongs to remove any larger bones from the pot. Set a colander over a large bowl and then strain the stock.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over another large bowl and strain the stock once more to remove any small pieces.
- OPTIONAL STEP: for extra flavorful stock, return it to a clean pot and boil rapidly until it reduces by ⅓ to condense the flavor.
- Cool the stock for no more than 1 hour on your counter then put it into your fridge to cool completely. If a fat-layer forms on top of the cold stock, remove it before using the stock. The stock will keep for 3 days in your fridge. Or transfer it to freezer-safe containers and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Slow Cooker Method
- Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker then set it on low for at least 8 (or up to 24) hours. Follow the instructions above to strain and store the stock.
