Flavorful Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe for Soups and Sauces

This homemade chicken stock lifts every dish it touches. This guide shows how to make rich, flavorful chicken stock on the stovetop or in a slow cooker using simple ingredients you likely already have. The result has a fresh, clean flavor and a silky mouthfeel you won’t get from store-bought versions, and it freezes beautifully for later use.

In culinary school we used homemade stocks in nearly every recipe, and those dishes always tasted restaurant-quality. Making chicken stock is simpler than it sounds: chicken bones or raw parts simmer slowly with vegetables, herbs and peppercorns to gently extract flavor, collagen and nutrients into a clear, delicious liquid.

Why make stock at home instead of buying it? The long, gentle simmer pulls collagen from the bones, creating a body and mouthfeel that commercial stocks rarely match. Homemade stock is also economical—use leftover parts or a carcass from a roasted or rotisserie chicken that might otherwise be discarded. Once you try it, you may find you rarely reach for store-bought stock again.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Homemade stock captures real chicken flavor and collagen from bones, producing a silky, mouth-coating texture that enhances soups, sauces and risottos.
• It’s budget-friendly: use leftover bones, necks, backs or a whole carcass that would otherwise be tossed.
• The flavor and texture of homemade stock elevate dishes such as soups, stews, rice, risotto and mashed potatoes.
• Stock freezes well in portion sizes and will keep for months when stored properly.

Chicken stock ingredients

There are just a few essentials. You can make a lighter “white” stock with raw chicken parts or a deeper “brown” stock by simmering roasted bones.

Ingredient notes

• Chicken parts: Backs, wings and necks are particularly good because they release collagen and minerals during simmering. Save carcasses from roasted or rotisserie chickens and freeze them until you’re ready to make stock.
• Vegetables: Carrot, onion and celery (a basic mirepoix) add sweetness and depth.
• Aromatics: Fresh thyme, parsley, bay leaf and whole peppercorns give the stock a clean, balanced aroma. You can add these loose or tie them in a bouquet garni for easy removal.

How to make a bouquet garni

A bouquet garni is a simple bundle of herbs and spices used to flavor stocks, soups and stews. For this stock, combine fresh parsley, thyme, bay leaf and whole peppercorns. Wrapping them in a doubled square of cheesecloth and tying with kitchen twine makes them easy to remove once the stock is done.

How to make chicken stock

Making stock is largely hands-off. Choose stovetop or slow cooker methods depending on your schedule. The stovetop method yields a clear, flavorful stock when you skim any scum and remove excess fat after cooling. The slow cooker produces similar results with minimal attention.

Pro tip: If you use raw chicken parts (for a white stock), skim any scum that rises to the surface while simmering, cool to room temperature and remove the fat layer before storing.

Basic stovetop method

1. Trim excess fat from the chicken pieces or carcass as desired. Place the chicken, onion (quartered), carrot (cut into large pieces), celery (large pieces) and aromatics in a large stockpot. If using a bouquet garni, add it now. Add enough cold water to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches.
2. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for about 4 hours, occasionally skimming foam or scum from the surface.
3. Remove the pot from heat and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Once chilled, skim off any solidified fat from the surface.
4. Store the stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days, or portion and freeze for up to three months.

FAQs

How to use chicken stock

Homemade chicken stock brings depth and richness to many dishes. Use it as a base for soups and stews, to cook rice or risotto, in pan sauces, or to boost the flavor of mashed potatoes. A good stock is one of the easiest ways to improve everyday recipes.

• Base for chicken soups and stews.
• Liquid for risotto, pilafs and cooked grains.
• Deglazing pan sauces for meats or vegetables.
• Adding flavor to casseroles, pasta dishes and braises.

Recipe Notes

• Using raw parts: Raw backs, wings and necks create a delicate white stock—skim surface scum during simmering and remove fat after cooling.
• Using roasted bones: Roasted carcasses produce a richer brown stock. Freeze roasted carcasses if you’re not ready to make stock immediately.
• Slow cooker method: Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8–10 hours. Strain, cool, skim fat and store.
• Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Freeze in portion sizes for convenience.

More chicken recipes you’ll love

• Chicken vegetable soup
• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Instant Pot shredded chicken
• Mexican rice casserole
• Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup

Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media so the author can see what you made.

Homemade Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken stock is an easy way to improve soups, sauces and many savory dishes. It’s fresher tasting and has a satisfying, silky texture.

Servings: 8 cups

Prep time: 10 mins • Cook time: 4 hrs • Total time: ~4 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

• 4 lbs raw chicken parts or roasted chicken carcass (backs, wings, necks)
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
• 1 large stalk celery, cut into large pieces
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 whole peppercorns

Instructions

1. Trim excess fat from chicken pieces as needed. Place the chicken, vegetables and aromatics in a large stockpot. If using, wrap thyme, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns in a double square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine.
2. Add cold water to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook uncovered for about 4 hours, skimming any foam or scum that rises to the surface.
4. Remove from heat and strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. After chilling, skim off any solidified fat before storing.
5. Portion and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Raw parts yield a lighter stock; roasted bones give a deeper flavor.
• Slow cooker: cook on low for 8–10 hours, then strain and chill.
• Freeze in small portions for easy use in future recipes.

Nutrition (approx.)

Serving size: 1 cup • Calories: 10 kcal • Protein: 0.3 g • Fat: 0.04 g • Sodium: 7 mg (estimates)

Note: This post was originally published in February 2017 and has been updated to include a stovetop version, slow cooker instructions and refreshed photos and text.

All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.