Learning how to make your own chicken bone broth is not only a great source of nutrition but it gets another meal out of your whole chicken. It’s really simple too. Keep reading to see just how easy it is to make this nutrient-dense super food, chicken bone broth.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Always shop small, local, and/or direct when you can, though!
More than one meal from a single chicken
Whether you roast a chicken or slow cook one in its own juices, you’ll likely have to pick the meat off the bones.
Since you’re already doing all that work, why not make use of that piles of bones and make some chicken bone broth?
You can:
- freeze the chicken bone broth for soup (ranch potato bacon soup recipe) or drinking
- drink it now for a collagen boost
- pressure can it to make it shelf stable.
Since I was a child, I’ve seen my mom cook a whole chicken in a big pot all day with a little water. When it’s done, she’d pick the chicken clean and use the white meat for chicken salad and the dark meat for “chicken and rice”. This a crowd pleasing soup/stew that’s hearty, simple, and delicious.
One chicken making two meals for a family of 4 is pretty budget-friendly.
Stretching that one whole chicken a little further
After a chicken-picking, make chicken bone broth for soup.
Again, you can freeze it, can it, or fridge it to drink.
One way I like to freeze the bone broth is in ice cube trays then store in a freezer bag. Anytime a recipe calls for a small portion of chicken broth or stock, I will grab a few cubes from the freezer to add.
Another neat way to freeze larger quantities of the broth is to use reusable silicone storage bags. I fill three-fourths of the way up then zip closed. Set bag on a cookie sheet and store in freezer until frozen. Then I simply peel the bag away from the frozen broth and store the broth block in a freezer bag. These larger chunks of frozen broth are perfect for soups or cooking rice.
Additionally, you could just store cooled down broth in quart sized freezer bags flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer to save on freezer space. Once the bags are frozen, remove cookie sheet and set upright the frozen broth bags as if stacking books on a shelf. Another storage option is to just lay them flat.
If you want to freeze in mason jars, be sure to leave ample head space for expansion!
What if I don’t have a whole chicken?
If I make a dinner with bone-in chicken thighs or have fried chicken or chicken wings, anything with chicken bones in it, I will save the bones for later.
Simply clean the bones as best you can of meat and gristle and put the bones in a freezer bag to store in the freezer.
Once I have a gallon bag of bones, I will then use them for making chicken bone broth.
A list of bone broth benefits
Here is a not-exhaustive list of reasons why drinking chicken bone broth is good for your health:
- Sip before bed for relaxation and inducing sleep without drugs
- Collagen for good hair, nails, and skin and joint health
- Contains electrolytes
- Great for gut healing
- Full of protein and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous
- Gelatin can help aid digestion and reduce inflammation
- Amino acids can help reduce muscle soreness from exercise
- Can relieve tension and stress
- Mood booster (did you know the gut and brain are connected? Being mindful of what you put in your gut {read: what you eat} is important!)
- High antioxidant content provides anti-aging properties
I’ve heard of people switching their morning coffee and/or nighttime tea to bone broth and I think they are on to something good!
DISCLOSURE: I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. Simply sharing personal experience and research I have found for myself. Please read my full disclosure statement HERE.
Why not buy it in the store?
You can. Just read the labels.
A big deciding factor for me not buying chicken stock or broth or bouillon cubes anymore was due to the addition of caramel food coloring and monosodium glutamate (MSG), amongst other unnecessary ingredients.
Making your own bone broth from bones you’d otherwise just throw away is a great way to save money and have a truly nourishing broth without any ingredients you don’t need.
You can use this very same method with cooked turkey bones, ham bones, pork bones, venison bones, and bone-in beef bones.
If bones aren’t cooked, you’ll want to roast them first before making broth. Cooking the bones adds to the flavor profile of the broth. Worth it!
How long can I store chicken bone broth?
In the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
In the freezer for up to 6 months.
Pressure canned (not water bathed!) for at least a year in the pantry.
How to make chicken bone broth:
Chicken bones (as clean as possible, may add 2-4 cleaned chicken feet too for added collagen!)
Filter water to cover bones 1-2 inches over
Carrots, celery, onions (all or any combo of root vegetable scraps/ends)
Fresh garlic cloves (peeled and smashed then let them sit for 10 minutes before adding)
Herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage are optional
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Splash of apple cider vinegar (slightly over a tablespoon)
Put all ingredients into a sauce or soup pot. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 3 hours. Strain vegetables and bones. Let liquid cool then pour into air tight containers. Store in the fridge or freeze for later or pressure can for pantry storage.
Notes:
This recipe isn’t precise because I feel like you’ll just get a sense of how much of these things you need to add. As for the salt, it’s more for flavor so add that to taste. Same goes for the pepper. A “splash” of ACV would be about a tablespoon. Using organic with the mother apple cider vinegar is the best.
Usually I will make two batches out of one set of bones. The first batch is more potent and best used when sick or in need of a nutrient boost. The second batch is better for soup bases. But you definitely can use the first batch for a deliciously rich soup base!
When making a second batch of broth, add new garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and herbs.
The collagen and gelatin will not be as thick in the second batch.
A note on chilled broth texture:
As the broth cools in the refrigerator, you will notice the texture changing. It will become more like jello. This is a good thing! It means your broth is full of collagen and gelatin.
The yellow-is layer on top of chilled broth is the fat and definitely leave it on. It will melt and be added back into the broth once heated again.
If the first batch of broth is not thick and jello-like, then you may have added too much water to the bones. Try to level the bones in the pot before adding water. Add only 1-2 inches of water over the bones.
Zero Waste Chicken Ideas
Here is how I use one whole chicken with no waste from it at all.
Learn how to raise your own chickens in your backyard for meat and bone broth.
Pin this for later!
Keep up to date on recent posts and sharings and more on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram: @johnsonhomenc and
sign up for my weekly newsletter HERE.
If you try this recipe, come back and leave a comment or share a picture on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest so I can see it!
Check out other Johnson Home NC affiliated links HERE.
How to make your own chicken bone broth
Equipment
- large stock pot or big sauce pot
Materials
- 1 quart Chicken bones as clean as possible
- 2 inches Water 2 inches covering bones
- 2 whole Carrots celery, onions (all or any combo)
- 3 cloves Fresh garlic peeled and smashed then let them sit for 10 minutes before adding
- 1 tsp Herbs (dried, fresh use 1 tbsp) like oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage are optional
- 2 tsp Real salt
- 1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Splash of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a sauce or soup pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer at least 3 hours.
- Strain vegetables and bones.
- Let liquid cool then pour into air tight containers.
- Store in the fridge or freeze for later or pressure can for pantry storage.
Notes
