Chicken Bone Broth
Whenever I start to feel under the weather, the first thing I do is make a big batch of Chicken Bone Broth. Bone broth has gotten a lot of buzz in the health and wellness world in recent years – for good reason! Bone broth can help boost collagen, support healthy digestion, and helps maintain a healthy immune system.
How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
When I’m sick, I love to have chicken bone broth on hand to use in soups and stews, or to sip as a nutrient-dense warming broth when I don’t have much of an appetite. Chicken bone broth is incredibly simple to make and very versatile. Any aromatic vegetables you have on hand can be used to create a rich and delicious broth that will make your home smell amazing as it simmers away.
Chicken Bone Broth Ingredients
To make this bone broth, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken bones or scraps (leftover carcasses from a whole roast chicken, etc.)
- Filtered water
- Carrots
- Celery
- Leeks
- Onions
- Parsley
- Ginger
- Bay leaves
- Black peppercorns
- Salt
*Continue scrolling for the full recipe with measurements below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Can I Buy Chicken Bones?
When it comes to chicken bones/scraps for making bone broth, you have a couple options.
Option one: you can save up chicken scraps in a bag or container in your freezer until you have enough to make broth. Examples include, carcasses from whole roasted chickens, or bones from bone-in cuts of chicken.
Option two: you can visit your local butcher or the butcher’s counter in your grocery store and ask for chicken bones/scraps. More often then not, they will have some available and they are usually quite cheap to purchase. I bought three pounds from my local butcher for under $5.
Why Does my Cold Broth Look Like Jelly?
When bone broth cools it becomes a gelatinous texture, but don’t be alarmed! This is a good thing. The reason the broth becomes jelly-like is because of the gelatin it contains. Simmering bones in water for an extended period of time to make broth extracts the collagen from the bones, resulting in the gelatinous texture of the broth when it cools. It will return to its fully liquid form when you reheat it.
Simmer the Chicken Bones
Add the chicken bones to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cover with filtered water until all the bones are submerged.
Bring the chicken bones to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for four hours, skimming off any foam that develops on the surface of the broth and discarding it.
Add in the Aromatics
Prepare the vegetables by washing and roughly chopping them. Leave the peels on the carrots and the skins on the onions.
Once the broth has been simmering for four hours, add in the aromatic vegetables, whole peppercorns, and bay leaves. Stir well to disperse the vegetables evenly then simmer for a further three to four hours.
Strain, Season, and Store the Broth
Remove the broth from the heat and place a strainer over a large mixing bowl.
Pour the broth through the strainer to remove the chicken bones and aromatics from the liquid. Season the broth with sea salt, then transfer to large jars or containers to store.
The bone broth can be stored in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for two months.
Recipes to Make with Bone Broth
Any recipe on Olive + Wisteria that calls for broth can use this Chicken Bone Broth. If you loved this broth, be sure to try it in one of these recipes:
Roasted Red Pepper and Cauliflower Soup
Roasted Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or review – I love to hear from you 🙂 As always, if you make this Chicken Bone Broth, be sure to tag me on Instagram.
Stay well, friends.
xx
Ashley
Chicken Bone Broth
Equipment
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Large strainer
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken bones
- 12 cups filtered water
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large onions, quartered with the skin on
- 1/2 large leek, chopped
- A handfull of fresh parsley sprigs
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the chicken bones to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cover with the filtered water until the bones are submerged. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 4 hours. Skim off any foam from the surface of the broth and discard.
- Wash and roughly chop the vegetables, leaving the peels on the carrots and the skin on the onions. Set aside.
- After 4 hours, add the prepared vegetables, bay leaves, and black peppercorns to the broth. Stir well to distribute them throughout the broth. Simmer for a further 3-4 hours.
- Remove the broth from the heat and place a strainer over a large mixing bowl. Pour the broth through the strainer to remove the vegetables and chicken bones. These can now be composted.
- Season the broth with sea salt, then transfer to large jars or containers to store. The broth will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, or two months in the freezer.
Notes