How to Make Chicken Stock from a Whole Chicken: A Step-by-Step Guide

Chicken stock is the secret ingredient that takes soups, stews, risottos and more from good to great Making your own homemade stock from a whole chicken may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite simple This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process, from selecting your chicken to simmering and straining the stock. Follow these tips and you’ll have quarts of rich, flavorful homemade chicken stock ready for all your cooking needs.

Why Make Your Own Chicken Stock?

Using homemade stock instead of store-bought provides immense benefits for both flavor and nutrition. The long simmering time extracts gelatin from the chicken bones creating a silky texture and mouthfeel. It also draws out minerals like calcium magnesium and potassium. The vegetables, herbs and spices infuse the liquid with layers of savory flavor.

Store-bought stock often tastes flat and one-dimensional in comparison. It may also contain preservatives, excess sodium and other additives. Making your own allows you to control the quality of ingredients. You can use organic vegetables, fresh herbs from your garden and high-welfare chickens.

Homemade stock is also highly economical. You can make use of chicken carcasses that would otherwise be discarded. A little hands-on time yields quarts of stock for mere pennies per cup.

Selecting the Best Chicken for Stock

For ideal flavor and texture choose a good quality whole chicken weighing 3 to 5 pounds. The bones and connective tissues of younger chickens contain more gelatin, which translates to richer body. Look for chickens labeled “free-range” or “pasture-raised” for a more concentrated chicken essence.

You can use a whole cut-up chicken or just chicken backs, necks and wings if preferred. Avoid using only breasts or other lean cuts, as they won’t provide enough collagen. For a quick stock, even rotisserie chickens yield delicious results.

Prepare Your Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (3 to 5 lbs)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• Water to cover

Wash the chicken thoroughly under cold running water, removing any innards from the cavity. Chop the vegetables and herbs into large pieces for ease of straining later. Smash the garlic halves with the flat side of a knife to gently crush the cloves.

Simmer and Skim

Place the chicken, vegetables, herbs, peppercorns and garlic in a large stockpot. Add enough cold water to just cover. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low.

Simmer very gently, with bubbles just barely breaking the surface. Avoid boiling, which will make the stock cloudy. Use a ladle to skim off any scum that rises to the top. Simmer for 2 to 4 hours, until the chicken meat falls easily off the bones. Add more water if needed to keep the bones submerged.

Strain the Stock

Carefully remove the chicken and transfer to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Discard the solids left in the sieve. Use a spoon to skim off any fat from the surface of the stock.

At this point you can use the stock right away, refrigerate for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for several months. For long-term freezing, transfer to freezer bags or containers, leaving 1⁄2 inch of headspace for expansion.

Save the Chicken Meat

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred or chop the meat and store in the refrigerator for chicken salads, soups, enchiladas and more. The long simmering leaves the meat incredibly moist and tender.

Tips for the Best Chicken Stock

• For cleaner flavor, start with cold water in the pot rather than hot water.
• Keep the heat low to prevent agitating proteins and making the stock cloudy.
• Skim regularly for clarity.
• Simmering longer extracts more gelatin and flavor, but can make the chicken meat tough.
• Strain while hot so the gelatin doesn’t congeal and clog the sieve.
• Avoid adding salt until you use the stock in recipes, allowing control over the seasoning.
• Stock keeps 5 to 6 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen.

Ideas for Using Homemade Chicken Stock

• Soups – chicken noodle, minestrone, tortilla soup, ramen
• Risottos – mushroom risotto, risotto milanese
• Stews – chicken pot pie, beef bourguignon
• Gravies and pan sauces
• Cooking grains like rice, farro or quinoa
• Braising tough cuts of meat for tenderness
• Adding flavor and moisture to baked goods like breads, biscuits and cornbread

Chicken stock is a workhorse ingredient for both savory and sweet dishes. Keeping a batch in the freezer makes whipping up everything from weekday dinners to celebratory meals much easier. Follow this simple guide for how to transform a whole chicken into quarts of liquid gold. Soon you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff again.