I use boxed chicken stock all the time, but there’s no denying that homemade is both healthier and more tasty. And even if I’m somewhat reluctant to commit to making it, it’s really the easiest thing in the world. All the ingredients just get thrown in the pot and forgotten about for hours. Well, almost. The smell of it bubbling away on your stove is so alluring it’s better than any scented candle.
Easy Homemade Chicken Stock
2015-03-21 22:24:08
Ingredients
- 1 chicken leg and thigh, or 1 chicken carcass, or any combination
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs parsley (optional)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- Salt and pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a large stock pot. Add about 10 cups of cold tap water, or enough to cover the chicken and vegetables by a few inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Use a spoon to skim the scum off the top of the stock every once in a while and add hot water to the pot if needed to keep the ingredients submerged. Strain through a mesh sieve, cool and refrigerate.
Notes
- I like to use bone-in legs and/or thighs for stock because they're inexpensive and easy to work with. But the most economical option is to buy a whole chicken, cut the meat off to use for another meal and throw the carcass into the stock pot. Then you don't have wasted meat and you're using part of the chicken that you would normally throw away.
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