Chicken stock is a versatile kitchen staple that adds flavor and richness to many dishes. But what do you do when a recipe calls for chicken stock and you don’t have any on hand? Don’t worry – there are plenty of easy substitutions using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry or fridge
In this article, I’ll explain what makes chicken stock so special and provide 7 simple chicken stock substitutes to suit different recipes and dietary needs With a bit of know-how, you can still make delicious soups, stews, sauces and more without chicken stock
Why Chicken Stock Matters
Before diving into substitutions let’s look at why chicken stock is so important in cooking
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Flavor – Chicken stock is made by simmering chicken bones, meat and vegetables, extracting flavor, collagen and gelatin. This gives it a rich, savory taste.
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Body – The collagen in chicken stock breaks down into gelatin, giving many dishes like risottos and gravies their characteristic thickness and velvety texture.
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Enhances dishes – The savory, umami flavors of chicken stock accentuate other ingredients like vegetables, grains and meat without overpowering them.
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Versatile – Chicken stock works in soups, stews, braises, gravies, risottos and more, adding flavor and moisture.
Knowing why chicken stock matters helps inform what ingredients and techniques will make the best substitutes in any given recipe. Now let’s look at 7 easy alternatives.
1. Vegetable Broth
Vegetable broth is one of the most widely available and versatile substitutes for chicken stock. It provides a similar savory flavor base for cooking.
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Use it in a 1:1 ratio in place of chicken stock in soups, stews, sauces, risottos and more.
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For richer dishes like gravies, reduce and slightly concentrate the vegetable broth first.
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Enhance flavor with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley or bay leaves.
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Low sodium varieties are great for controlling salt content.
2. Mushroom Broth
For an ultra savory, umami-rich chicken stock substitute, use or make mushroom broth.
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Simmer dried mushrooms like shiitakes in water for 30 minutes, then use the broth.
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Add 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms to your broth for intense flavor.
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Works especially well in mushroom dishes, gravies, stews and sauces.
3. Beef Broth
Beef broth makes a robust, meaty chicken stock alternative. Use it in heartier dishes:
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Beef and barley stew
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Beef chili
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Pot roasts and braised beef
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Reduce slightly to concentrate flavor if too weak.
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Opt for low sodium beef broth and adjust seasonings.
4. Vegetable Scraps
Simmer vegetable scraps to make your own flavorful broth:
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Onion skins, carrot tops, mushroom stems
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Celery leaves, parsley stems, fennel fronds
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Tomato trimmings, bell pepper cores
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Simmer 30-60 mins and strain.
5. Water with Flavor Boosts
For a quick broth substitute, use water with flavor boosts:
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Soy sauce – for saltiness and savory umami
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Miso paste – umami flavor, especially good in Asian dishes
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Tomato paste – richness and depth
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Bouillon cubes – concentrated chicken flavor
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Dried herbs – thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil
Start with small amounts and adjust to taste.
6. White Wine
White wine adds acidity and complements chicken stock in sauces and seafood dishes.
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Use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
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Reduce wine first to concentrate flavor.
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Best for deglazing pans, seafood stews, and lighter sauces.
7. Homemade Chicken Stock
For the best match, make your own chicken stock:
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Simmer chicken bones, wings, necks for 2-3 hours with veggies.
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Adding an acid like vinegar or lemon helps extract collagen.
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Use in any recipe in a 1:1 ratio.
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Freeze broth in batches for later use.
Tips for Chicken Stock Substitutes
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Always taste and adjust salt and seasonings since commercial broths vary in sodium content.
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For richer dishes, reduce weaker broths slightly to concentrate flavor.
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Mix and match substitutes like mushrooms + herbs or wine + vegetable trimmings.
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Enhance flavor with fresh herbs, spices, tomato paste, lemon juice, wine.
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For vegetarian/vegan dishes, use vegetable broth or mushroom broth.
With these simple, delicious chicken stock substitutes, you can adapt recipes on the fly when you’re out of chicken stock. A flavorful, aromatic base is still possible. Get creative with ingredients you have on hand for homemade variations. Next time chicken stock is called for, you’ll be ready with these tasty workarounds.
Jam and Dried Fruit
Tomatoes may not belong in a fruit salad, but fruit definitely belongs in savory dishes (especially those starring tomatoes). Simply replace broth with water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of jam or finely chopped dried fruit. Apricots and cherries will work well with “meatier” dishes like this Persian eggplant stew, short rib chili, and chili gumbo. And plums or figs would play nicely with this borscht.
Just like mushrooms, tomatoes provide a natural source of umami. For something light, simply replace the amount of broth with half water and half diced, fresh tomatoes (or homemade tomato sauce). Or, boil water with a handful of dried tomatoes. Let them soak for 30 minutes and then remove the dried tomatoes and use the soaking liquid as is. Or keep the dried tomatoes in the pot and blend for super rich flavor. Then add your tomato broth—however you made it—to this red curry, carrot ginger bisque, and more borscht.
Break out the sachets before dessert and use them to boost the flavor (and intrigue) of your dish. Simply boil the same amount of water as broth and let the tea soak for 10 to 15 minutes, until infused. Use more delicate white tea for poached fish or bouillabaisse. Or go with mightier genmaicha for soba, ramen, or a twist on egg drop soup.
“Jus is just deeply reduced meat stock,” explains J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. “Typically a restaurant would make a basic veal and/or chicken stock. You’d then use that gelatin-rich stock and flavor it with browned trimmings from whatever meat you’re serving, then strain carefully multiple times, and slowly reduce.” It’s a decadent alternative to stock—and if you use jus in place of a lighter stock, the flavor will be much deeper. (To replace stock with jus, simply add hot water to the jus you have on hand.
If you have a lot of garlic and a lot of water, you can make garlic stock, which is another big little recipe from Emma Laperruque. In typical fashion, her recipes always make me think “why didn’t I think of that?” They’re simple, unassuming, and loaded with flavor. “A supremely savory vegetable stock that only needs one ingredient. And yes, that ingredient is garlic—two whole heads of it. When simmered with water and seasoned with salt, this extrovert ingredient goes from razor sharp to buttery smooth, a lot like caramelized onions. The result is oh-so soothing, with pools of savory depth,” she writes.
A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52s founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an indispensable playbook for stress-free meal-planning (hint: cook foundational dishes on the weekend and mix and match ‘em through the week).
The Best Chicken Broth Substitutes
For a vegetarian substitute for chicken broth, a handful of dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms will quickly transform a plain pot of water into an umami bath. After boiling for 20 to 30 minutes, this earthy liquid can replace broth and stock in a pot pie, vegetarian gravy, and Thanksgiving stuffing. Or enjoy a cup of it in place of coffee to mix up your morning or afternoon caffeine routine. You could also add some hearty herbs like rosemary or thyme to bring out the flavor of the earthy mushrooms.
Freshly squeezed or from a bottle, the perkiness of citrus juice plays well with savory meals. Simply replace the broth with citrus juice and water in a 1 to 2 ratio. Then use to cook beans, creamy polenta, lots of seafood dishes, and this Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup. Or add a splash of sweetness to fish-focused dishes, like risotto-style shrimp and grits and a spicy Jalapeno Corn Soup with Seared Scallops. Lemon is the most versatile but try grapefruit, lime, or lemon too. Plus, the acid in the citrus also acts as a natural deglazer to remove any stuck-on caramelized brown bits at the bottom of a pan.
9 Easy Chicken Broth Substitutes
FAQ
What do you use instead of chicken stock?
One can generally substitute a vegetable stock/broth (take water, add chopped vegetables, simmer anywhere from 3 hours to 30 years, strain into containers), and adding a bouillon cube to that should give you the salt and flavor of a chicken broth or stock.
Can I use water instead of chicken stock?
What is the same as chicken stock?
Chicken stock and chicken broth are similar ingredients that exist on the same spectrum, and the terms are often used interchangeably, which can be confusing.Nov 22, 2024
What do I use if I don’t have stock?
Substitute Stock with Plain Water – Water is the ideal substitute for stock and will extract all the main flavours in your soup without adding its own.Aug 15, 2024