I make soup all the time, so broth is always on my grocery list. But if I knew how easy it is to make homemade chicken broth from scratch, I’d have stopped buying it at the store years ago! My easy chicken broth recipe is made with just 10 simple ingredients and is incredibly rich and flavorful. I have a few secret ingredients up my sleeve that really give this recipe that extra oomph! I use this perfectly-seasoned chicken broth in all of my soups and stews all year long.
Simple Chicken Broth Recipe
Different from chicken stock, my homemade chicken broth recipe uses both the meat and the bones of the chicken to create a rich and flavorful broth. I combine two whole chickens with a mix of veggies, herbs de Provence, cloves, black peppercorns, and a touch of soy sauce to create an incredible seasoned broth with so few ingredients. The soy sauce really enhances the umami flavor, and the cloves give it a touch of warmth. Making your own chicken broth from scratch really blows store-bought stuff out of the water, and I use it in so many of my recipes.
Email this recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.
One Simple Tip!
Once the broth is finished cooking, be sure to pour it through a fine mesh sieve. This will remove all of the lingering pieces of chicken meat, vegetables, and fat and leave you with a smooth broth.
Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
Print Pin
Serves 19 cups
-
Place all ingredients in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water.
2 (5-pound) young roasting chickens (whole), 6 quarts cold water, 3 large yellow onions, 1 head garlic, 6 carrots, 4 ribs celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence, 4 dried bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
-
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2½ hours.
-
Carefully transfer the chickens to two large bowls. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and set aside.
-
After removing the meat from the bones, place the bones and the excess broth (from the bones) back into the stockpot. Season to taste – the broth should taste lightly salted.
-
Continue cooking the chicken broth another 1½ hours.
-
While the broth reduces, cut or shred the chicken meat and save for other meals. (It freezes beautifully.)
-
After the broth is finished cooking, strain it through a colander, and discard the remaining solids.
-
Refrigerate the broth overnight, then remove the surface fat the next day.
-
The broth will be slightly gelatinous, but it will liquefy and add a rich, lovely flavor when heated.
- To spice up this broth, add in some crushed red pepper or chilis.
- To easily remove the meat from the bones, pull the chicken apart with your hands so that the wings, body, legs, and thighs are all separate. Then pull the white meat off the body, keeping the pieces as large as possible. Don’t forget about the wing joints and wishbones as well — there’s good meat hiding in there!
- Don’t throw out the fat! The fat is not only highly nutritious but is excellent for preventing freezer burn when stored in the freezer. It also is a useful ingredient for sauteeing your leftover veggies.
- Nutritional information is for the broth only, not the cooked chicken.
Storage: Store chicken broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 100
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.001g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 457mg20%
Potassium 138mg4%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 3288IU66%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
at @easychickenrecipes for a chance to be featured.
How to Make Chicken Broth from Scratch Step by Step
Start the Broth: Place 2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens, 3 large quartered yellow onions, 1 whole halved head of garlic, 6 quartered carrots, 4 halved ribs of celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons of herbes de Provence, 4 dried bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons of whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water.
Simmer the Broth: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 2½ hours.
Remove the Chickens: Carefully transfer the chickens to two large bowls. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and set aside. After removing the meat from the bones, place the bones and the excess broth (from the bones) back into the stockpot. Season to taste – the broth should taste lightly salted. Continue cooking the chicken broth another 1½ hours. While the broth reduces, cut or shred the chicken meat and save it for other meals. (It freezes beautifully.)
Strain the Broth: After the broth is finished cooking, strain it through a colander, and discard the remaining solids.
Store and Enjoy: Refrigerate the broth overnight, then remove the surface fat the next day. The homemade chicken broth will be slightly gelatinous, but it will liquefy and add a rich, lovely flavor when heated.
How to Store and Reheat
Store homemade chicken broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop until warmed through. Defrost frozen broth before using it in other recipes.