Chicken Broth Recipe
This fool-proof chicken broth recipe is a cinch to make, and it has a rich flavor spiked with fresh herbs. It's perfect for making soups, or sipping on its own.
Servings: 2 quarts
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Fine-mesh Sieve
- Skimmer
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4 pound) chicken
- ¼ cup coarse sea salt
- water (to cover)
- 1 large yellow onion (quartered)
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
The first boil.
- Scrub the chicken all over with coarse sea salt, and then rinse it well under cool water.
- Place the chicken in a large stock pot, and then fill the pot with cold water until it covers the chicken by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn the heat down to medium and allow the chicken to continue to boil for about 20 minutes. Skim and discard any foam that rises to the surface of the pot.
- After 20 minutes, pour off the broth, and remove the chicken from the pot. Rinse it once more with cool water to remove any bits of scum or debris that adhere's to the bird's skin. Rinse the stock pot, and wipe it clean with a dishcloth.
The second boil.
- Return the chicken to the cleaned pot, add the onion, garlic, and peppercorns. Cover with water by two inches, and then pour in the wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, about 3 hours, removing any scum that rises to the surface.
Finishing the broth.
- To finish the broth, drop in the thyme and bay leaves, allowing the broth to continue cooking a further 30 minutes. Then, carefully remove the chicken, strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into jars. Transfer it to the fridge where it will keep about 1 week, or to the freezer where it will keep about 6 months.
- You can pick the leftover meat off the carcass and reserve it for recipes that call for cooked chicken, such as chicken chili or enchiladas.
Using homemade chicken broth.
- Skim off and discard any fat that has risen to the surface of the broth while it sits in the fridge. Then use the broth as your recipe instructs; alternatively, pour the defatted broth into a saucepan and bring it to about 165 F, season with salt and serve.
