Homemade Chicken Broth

This homemade chicken broth is rich, flavorful, and easy to make. Simply simmer chicken, vegetables, and herbs for a deeply flavorful broth.

Course Soup

Cuisine Jewish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3 20

Total Time 3 35

Servings cups

Calories 86kcal

4 pounds chicken pieces bone-in, skin-on
1 large onion quartered
4 garlic cloves unpeeled
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks cut into thirds
1 small bunch parsley
2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tablespoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 quarts water

Place the chicken, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, kosher salt, black peppercorns, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Bring to a boil. It should take about 20 minutes for the water to reach a boil.
4 pounds chicken pieces, 1 large onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 large carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 small bunch parsley, 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 3 quarts water
Skim the foam layer from the top with a spoon, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Partially cover the pot and simmer the broth for 3 hours. Check the soup periodically to ensure it maintains a slow, steady simmer rather than boiling.
Remove the solids using a large slotted spoon.
Strain the broth through a colander. If you can’t bring yourself to discard the chicken, keep it and use it (without the skin) in these chicken patties.
You can serve the broth immediately or cool it completely and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, remove the fat layer from the top before reheating the broth.

Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
The goal is to simmer the chicken for the full three hours, not just until it’s done. That extended cooking time extracts all the flavor and collagen into the broth. By the end, the chicken will be overcooked and isn’t meant to be served as-is. You can discard it or repurpose it in a recipe like these chicken patties.
It's important to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces such as drumsticks or bone-in thighs. They add flavor and richness to the broth. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, for example, will not work in this recipe. They are too lean.
This broth keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. You can divide some of it into individual portions and freeze them in 1-cup containers. 8-ounce mason jars work well for this purpose.
Slow cooker method: Place the chicken, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, salt, and peppercorns into a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Pour in the 3 quarts of water, leaving at least an inch of space at the top. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. You can also cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, but cooking on low creates a richer broth. Unlike the stovetop method, there's no need to skim the foam. Remove the large solids with a slotted spoon, then pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or colander.