Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe - Healthy Recipes Blog

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Making homemade chicken broth is so easy. Simply place the ingredients in a large pot, bring them to a boil, then simmer. The longer you simmer, the richer the broth. You can enjoy it as is or use it as a base for many different recipes.

Homemade chicken broth is served in a white bowl.

Once you've made this amazingly flavorful chicken broth from scratch, you won't be able to ever go back to the canned version, except as a base for other recipes. There's no comparison! The best part? It's so easy. You simply dump a few ingredients into a large pot, fill it with water, and turn on the heat. A few hours later, enjoy a cup of rich, warm, comforting broth!

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

Fresh chicken: For the richest and most flavorful broth, use bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces and dark meat. I often use chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs.
Vegetables and herbs: Onion, garlic cloves, carrots, celery, and parsley.
Kosher salt and whole black peppercorns: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

Variations

The best way to vary this recipe is to use different vegetables. I almost always use onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and parsley. Other options that I tried and liked include leeks, mushrooms, and fresh herbs such as oregano and thyme. These produce a broth that tastes quite different from my childhood broth, but they are a nice variation on the classic recipe.

Instructions

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

Place the chicken in a large stockpot.

Add the vegetables, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cover the ingredients with water and bring to a boil. Using a spoon, skim the foam from the top of the broth (this ensures clearer broth). Reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer the broth for 3 hours.

Remove the solids from the broth with a large slotted spoon, then strain it using a colander. Serve immediately.

This was absolutely DELICIOUS! I’m feeling sick, and this looked like a quick broth recipe. I was skeptical because it’s been a while since I’ve done homemade broth, and I remember them being 10 hours? This was very flavorful, and I plan on making a bunch and freezing for soups or to have on hand!! Truly, this is one of the best homemade broth recipes I’ve ever had.
Grace
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Recipe Tips

Use Bone-In Chicken

It's important to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces in this recipe. They give the broth flavor and richness. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, such as those I use to make baked chicken breast, will not work in this recipe. They are too lean.

Skimming the Fat

This is what the broth looks like when it's ready. You can see the fat droplets on its surface:

Many people remove this fat. I don't. It's delicious. If you want to remove it and do it efficiently, it's best to chill the soup first. Once chilled, you can easily remove the congealed fat layer from the top. Here are my refrigerated jars of broth. You can see the fat layer on top. It's easy to remove with a spoon.

Chicken broth in jars. The fat layer is visible on the top.

Recipe FAQs

Can I eat the chicken and vegetables?

That's up to you. The longer you simmer the broth, the richer and tastier it will be, and the drier the meat.

One option is to just throw the chicken out. But if you can't bring yourself to do that, use it in recipes such as chicken patties or turkey patties (replacing the turkey with chicken).

The same goes for the vegetables - they will be limp and lifeless at this point. If you want to serve your broth with vegetables, it's best to add them after the broth is ready and cook them just until they are tender-crisp.

Is making your own chicken broth worth it?

It is. The homemade version is richer and far more flavorful than store-bought broth. There's truly no comparison.

Can you simply drink this broth?

Yes, of course. It's delicious in a soup bowl with different add-ins, such as noodles, rice, or tender-crisp vegetables. But it's also enjoyable to simply sip it from a mug. It's a warming, comforting drink, especially in the winter or when you're under the weather. After all, it's called Jewish Penicillin for a reason.

Can I keep the leftovers?

Yes. Chicken broth keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for about five days. You can also divide some of it into individual portions and freeze them in 1-cup containers. 8-ounce mason jars work well for this purpose.

Serving Suggestions

This rich broth is delicious as is. I keep portions of it in mason jars and reheat them in the microwave. I simply drink it from a mug. But you can serve it in a bowl and add all kinds of things to it. My Israeli grandma used to serve hers with egg noodles:

Chicken noodle soup served in a white bowl with a red napkin.

Or matzo balls:

Matzo ball soup served in a white soup bowl.

My Dutch grandma served it with tiny cooked meatballs and no starches or veggies. My father loads his with cooked shredded chicken and lots of vegetables, and my mother-in-law serves hers with cooked white rice.

Want more ideas? Add plain cooked shirataki noodles (omit the butter and Parmesan) or zucchini noodles (add them raw, and they will cook in the hot broth). You can also turn this broth into egg drop soup.

Chicken Broth