Homemade Chicken Broth
Made with fresh and simple ingredients, this Homemade Chicken Broth is so flavorful and adds amazing flavor in whatever dishes you use it in! It can turn an average meal into an extraordinary meal!
A DELICIOUS HOMEMADE BROTH RECIPE
If you are like me and cook a lot of soups, etc, then you absolutely need this recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth. Making a homemade broth is so simple and hardly any work. It’s perfect for cold and flu season. There is nothing more soothing on those days when I am under the weather than a warming bowl of chicken noodle soup made with this homemade chicken broth. This time of year, I make homemade chicken broth pretty often. Then I take the leftover chicken meat and make chicken noodle soup with it. I also use the leftover chicken to make all kinds of other chicken casseroles. You can also freeze the broth for later too!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes! If you are wanting to make this with some of your leftover Thanksgiving turkey, you will want to use any leftover bones with any meat on them, neck bones, etc. It does not need to be a whole turkey. There is so much flavor in those bones and leftover meat. You will add all of that to a large stock pot along with the additional ingredients below and proceed as written.
Yes. Add everything into a large crock (6 quart or larger) and cook it on low for at least 8 hours to get the most flavor out of it. Strain and continue with the rest of the recipe.
No. I think this is what makes my recipe different from others you will find. It is something I do to bring out a bit more flavor. You can skip this step if you prefer.
To be honest, I have not tested this recipe with dried herbs. I normally enjoy making a lot of things with dried herbs but for making chicken broth, I think the fresh herbs make all the difference in flavor.
Definitely! The chicken will have a lot of flavor from the vegetables and herbs. You can remove the meat from the chicken around the 45 minute to 1 hour mark. Once removed, you can place the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering to finish making the broth. Chicken can then be saved to later make chicken noodle soup, chicken salad or in casseroles, etc.
Yes. The salt is completely to your tastes. This broth is not extraordinarily salty by any means but if you need to keep it low sodium, just adjust as necessary. That is the beauty of making your own is you can control the level of salt!
There are so many different recipes that use chicken broth. Some of my favorite ones include: Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings, Crock Pot Chicken and Noodles, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Crock Pot White Chicken Chili.
This can be stored in a lidded container or mason jars in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 4 days. Broth can also be frozen. Place in a freezer container or mason jars with about 1/2-1-inch room from the top and it will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. To defrost, remove to the refrigerator overnight until thawed.
Yes. However it does have to be pressure canned and not canned using a water bath canning procedure. Water bath canning is only used for high acid foods. Follow proper canning procedures. Note: Chicken broth can also be frozen.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- whole chicken (giblets removed)
- celery sticks
- carrots
- garlic
- onion
- cooking oil
- water
- rosemary, fresh
- thyme, fresh
- parsley, fresh
- bay leaf
- whole peppercorns
- salt (to taste)

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHICKEN BROTH:
In a large stock pot, over medium high heat, add oil. Then add in whole chicken, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Lightly brown contents of pot for 6-7 minutes (this step is optional but adds nice flavor.)

Add in 6-8 cups of water, using enough to cover contents of pot by an inch or two. Add in fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt.

Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 hours.

Taste for flavor and add more salt if desired.

Allow to cool slightly then strain. Remove the chicken larger vegetables and then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer (to catch any smaller bits of chicken and herbs) and then ladle into jars.

WANT MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? YOU MUST TRY THESE!

Homemade Chicken Broth
Ingredients
- 2-4 pound whole chicken, giblets removed
- 4 celery stIcks
- 2 carrots
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
- 6-8 cups water
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 sprig of fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1-2 Tablespoons salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, over medium high heat, add oil. Then add in whole chicken, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Lightly brown contents of pot for 6-7 minutes (this step is optional but adds nice flavor.)
- Add in 6-8 cups of water, using enough to cover contents of pot by an inch or two.
- Add in fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt.
- Bring to a boil and cover. Then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 2-3 hours.
- After it has simmered, taste for flavor and add more salt if desired.
- Allow to cool slightly then strain. Remove the chicken larger vegetables and then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer (to catch any smaller bits of chicken and herbs) and then ladle into jars.
Notes
- Turkey can be used for this recipe.
- The first step of browning the chicken and vegetables can be skipped.
- Fresh herbs should be used over dried herbs.
- This can be made in a crock pot. See above on how to do that.
- Chicken broth can be frozen. See above for instructions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.