Homemade Chicken Bone Broth (Printer-friendly)
Aromatic chicken broth simmered with fresh ginger, perfect for warming drinks or versatile cooking base.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 3 lbs chicken bones (carcass, wings, necks, or a mix)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 large onion, quartered (skin on)
03 - 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
05 - 1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise
06 - 3-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
→ Seasonings
07 - 2 bay leaves
08 - 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
09 - 2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
→ Liquids
10 - 12 cups cold water
→ Optional
11 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
12 - Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley) for added flavor
# How to Make It:
01 - Place chicken bones into a large stockpot or Dutch oven.
02 - Add quartered onion, chopped carrots, celery, halved garlic, and sliced ginger to the pot.
03 - Pour in 12 cups of cold water, then add bay leaves, peppercorns, sea salt, and apple cider vinegar if using.
04 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a very low simmer. Skim off any foam or impurities during the first 30 minutes.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, occasionally skimming foam and adding water if necessary to keep bones submerged.
06 - In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add fresh thyme and parsley if desired.
07 - Remove from heat and carefully strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large container, discarding solids.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool, refrigerate, and skim off any solidified fat before use.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's genuinely nourishing—the kind of thing your body feels grateful for, sipped warm on a quiet morning.
- Once it's simmering, you're free; this broth asks almost nothing of you for hours.
- One batch becomes the foundation for a dozen meals, turning it into the most practical investment in your freezer.
02 -
- The first 30 minutes of skimming is non-negotiable—don't skip it, or your broth will taste murky and slightly off no matter how long it simmers.
- Keep the heat low enough that the surface is barely moving; a rolling boil will break down the bones into cloudiness and muddy flavors that can't be fixed after.
- Taste before you store it; broth's seasoning changes subtly once refrigerated, so adjusting while it's warm prevents opening your freezer to a bland batch months later.
03 -
- Start your broth in the morning and let it simmer while you go about your day—when you return, your house smells like someone has been caring for you for hours.
- Taste the broth at 3 hours to see if you prefer to stop early; sometimes 3 hours is enough, and forcing it to 4 when it's already perfect is the only mistake you can make.