I’ve got nothing against using store-bought chicken broth, but sometimes it’s just too easy to make this homemade version instead (and cheaper than store-bought, too!). And nothing compares to the delicious and complex flavor of homemade broth. I will warn you . . . your taste buds will find it hard to go back to store-bought broth after they’ve experienced this homemade version. It’s a harsh truth, I know.
Fortunately, this broth is ridiculously easy to make, so you can give your taste buds the pleasure of this version without spending a lot of time and energy in the kitchen.
If you need a reliable roasted chicken recipe to actually have some leftover chicken bones to make this broth, check out my recipe for Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts.
Oooh, collagen!
Maybe you’re here because you’ve heard a lot of hype about “bone broth”, because it’s a source of collagen. Collagen is a protein, and is a main component of connective tissues throughout the body. It’s true that collagen does contain a wide variety of amino acids. And perhaps it’s a good nutritional strategy to consume a wider variety of those building-block amino acids than you would get from eating meat alone.
The bottom line, though on collagen? I’ll leave it at this: it’s complicated, and there’s a lot we don’t know for sure yet. I am a measured, evidence-based kind of gal, so I am not going to unjustifiably oversell you on the benefits of the collagen present in broth. Check out this helpful article if you want to determine for yourself if the current evidence lives up to the hype.
what you’ll need:
- Your Instant Pot Yes, you can also make broth on the stovetop, but this version is all about the Instant Pot. I actually prefer to make broth in Instant Pot versus stovetop because 1) it doesn’t take as long, and 2) because the Instant Pot is so sealed up during the cooking process, the entire house doesn’t smell like broth. Sure, broth smells great, but I don’t like every corner, every bedroom of the house smelling like broth for hours and hours (as seems to happen when cooking broth on the stovetop). Maybe I am just hypersensitive to that, and it wouldn’t bother you at all. You do you.
- Leftover chicken bones If you roast a chicken, or some bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, save the bones to make this broth. (You can even add chicken feet if you want. I haven’t gone there yet, but I’d love to learn from you if you have.) If you can’t get around to making the broth right away, feel free to toss the bones in the freezer until you’re good and ready to make the broth. Just thaw your bag ‘o bones in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before you start up your broth.
- Aromatics In this case, onions, carrots, celery, and a little bit of garlic
- Herbs and spices In this broth recipe, you’ll need black peppercorns (whole), parsley, dried bay leaf, and salt.
- Cider vinegar The small amount of cider vinegar helps to extract the collagen from the bones during the cooking process. Cool fact, right? Fortunately, the amount used is so small that it doesn’t impart any kind of vinegar flavor to the broth. Whew.
- Other tools needed Cutting board, chef’s knife, some sort of colander or mesh strainer to separate out the solids after cooking
Ways to enjoy this amazing broth you’ve made:
- You can sip a hot mug of it on its own (seriously!).
- Use it in any soup you would normally use chicken broth or stock. Might I suggest my Black Bean Soup recipe or my Creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe?
- Freeze it for later use.
| Cook Time | 120 minutes |
| Servings |
or so cups
|
- chicken bones (leftover from about 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lbs cooked chicken)
- 1 onion, halved
- 1-2 celery stalks, halved
- 1 carrot, peeled and halved
- 1 garlic clove peeled and gently pressed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- water enough to fill to 2" below max fill line
Ingredients
|
|
- Add chicken bones to Instant Pot.
- Add remaning ingredients except for water.
- Add water up to two inches from max fill line.
- Cover. Set valve to "seal". Set to Manual/high pressure for 120 minutes.
- Allow for natural pressure release.
- Once broth has cooled, use a large slotted spoon to remove the bones and larger pieces of vegetables. Using a mesh strainer or colander, strain broth and store in container until use. Store in refrigerator or freezer.