Chicken Stock Recipe

This homemade Chicken Stock Recipe uses simple ingredients and a rotisserie chicken to create a flavorful stock. While this easy recipe for chicken stock is delicious in soup recipes, it can be used to elevate various dishes including sauces and casseroles. It’s a must-try for any home cook.

There’s nothing quite like the comforting taste of homemade stock and this one utilizes a rotisserie chicken carcass and a few pantry staples to create a flavor bomb for a foundation for your dishes. You’ll extract all the natural goodness by simmering the bones and vegetables for a couple of hours. The simmered infusion is a great way to add a touch of home to your meals.

It was time for me to learn how to make chicken stock from scratch. It’s easier than I thought it would be and it tastes so much better than any canned broth. I still had the rotisserie chicken carcass from making chicken quesadillas so I used that as the base along with a few other ingredients.

It made a huge pot of golden flavorful goodness and I now use it to make my homemade condensed cream of chicken soup. It’s also delicious to use in my stuffing with sausage and this slow cooker Zuppa Toscana. The richness and flavors from the rotisserie bones made the stock unbelievably delicious.

Chicken Stock Recipe

The recipe for chicken stock starts with a rotisserie chicken carcass. Using the carcass is ideal, as the roasting process brings out the natural sweetness of the meat, leaving you with a rich savory base. Carrots and celery along with bay leaves and whole peppercorns are the other simple ingredients. After a couple of hours of simmering, you end up with a robust stock ready to use in your favorite dishes.

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Timesaving Tips and Variations

The biggest timesaving tip is to use the bones from the store-bought roasted whole chicken. You’re saving money by doing that as you already used the meat in one meal; it can be used in a few more. Here are a few more and some other suggestions to add.

• Along with carrots and celery, you can add a roughly chopped large onion and a few garlic cloves.
• I do not add salt and most recipes using the liquid will have you add salt.
• Simmer, don’t boil. A gentle simmer extracts flavors slowly for best results. High heat makes it cloudy and bitter.
• Feel free to add other fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano.
• To strain, use a fine mesh strainer  or cheesecloth to remove solids. Don’t be afraid to strain the liquid multiple times to get the smoothest outcome.
• Don’t have a rotisserie carcass? That’s ok, you can swap it out for leftover turkey bones/meat or a nice hearty beef bone as well to make a  beef or turkey soup starter.

By implementing these tips, you will want to make this over and over again.

How to Store Rotisserie Chicken Stock

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also use it immediately if desired. These mason jars work well in the freezer.

Why is my stock cloudy?

It might be due to boiling or stirring too much. A low simmer will give the best results. On the other hand, if it’s too thin, you can keep reducing it until the desired consistency.

What is the difference between chicken stock and chicken broth?

Stock is a flavorful liquid made by simmering bones, which release gelatin and proteins. This process, combined with aromatic vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, and herbs, creates a rich, deep liquid.

Broth, on the other hand, is made by simmering meat not the bones, with vegetables and herbs. It’s typically simmered for a shorter time, resulting in a less intense flavor compared to stock and is thinner. Broth may also contain more sodium due to the meat content.

Recipes That Use Chicken Stock

Besides the obvious, chicken soup, here are a few more ways to use your homemade flavor bomb.

• Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
• Enchilada Lasagna
• Slow Cooker Creamy Potato and Ham Soup
• Hot and Sour Egg Drop Soup

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Recommended Tools to Make Chicken Stock

fSimple kitchen essentials are used in this recipe but I ainem sharing my favorite tools.

• large soup pot
• fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• tongs
• pot holders
• mason jars
• glass measuring cup

Ingredients

You’ll use just a handful of ingredients for this recipe. The roasted chicken can be bought at your grocery stores in the deli area.

• rotisserie chicken carcass
• carrots
• celery
• whole bay leaves
• whole peppercorns
• water

Making your own soup started gives you total control over the ingredients, resulting in a cleaner, more natural flavor. Homemade version are free of preservatives, additives, and excessive salt. Plus, it’s a budget-friendly way to use up kitchen scraps.

How to Make Chicken Stock from a Rotisserie Chicken

Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot. Let simmer for 2 hours or until about half of the liquid evaporates. Once reduced, remove the large pieces out of the liquid (use tongs, as it will be hot) and strain what remains so that you have a smooth reduction leftover. To strain, use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. You may need to strain a couple a times.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also use it immediately, if desired.

Savor the ease of making something homemade, and let it elevate your favorite recipes, one ladle at a time.

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