Chicken Broth

By Becky Hardin

Updated May 21, 2025

ShareJump to Recipe

I love that Chicken Broth is so easy to make and that I never need to buy it from the store. When I first started learning to cook, I had no idea that homemade staples would be not only this simple but also cost-effective. I’ve developed this delicious recipe made with lots of vegetables, spices, and chicken to create the perfect flavor.

Chicken Broth

Yes, you can make chicken broth at home! Below, I give you all the steps to make chicken broth to use in all of your soups this winter season! Once you make chicken broth at home, you’ll never go back to store-bought. Fresh herbs, vegetables, and chicken come together for a clean, fresh taste without any additives or preservatives.

Use this recipe as a base and jazz it up as you want. I’ll often add chili peppers or red pepper flakes to give the broth a spicy kick, lemon juice and zest to give it a bright and refreshing flavor, ginger to give it a slightly spicy and sweet flavor (and aid in digestion), turmeric for a vibrant yellow color (and anti-inflammatory properties!), or miso for an umami boost (plus I love that it adds probiotics).

Recipe Card

Chicken Broth Recipe

4.72 from 32 votes

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs

Total: 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 19 cups

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

Chicken Broth is so easy to make, you won't need to buy it from the store anymore. This delicious recipe is made with lots of vegetables, spices, and chicken to create the perfect flavor. Learn how to make chicken broth and use it in all of your soups this winter season!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Save this recipe!

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you, plus new recipes weekly!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Go

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens
• ▢ 6 quarts cold water
• ▢ 3 yellow onions unpeeled and quartered
• ▢ 1 head garlic unpeeled and halved; optional
• ▢ 6 carrots washed, unpeeled, and quartered
• ▢ 4 ribs celery with leaves washed and halved
• ▢ 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
• ▢ 4 bay leaves
• ▢ 12 whole cloves
• ▢ 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce for gluten free use gluten free soy

Instructions 

• Place all ingredients in a 16-20 quart stockpot, and cover with 6 quarts of water.
  2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens, 6 quarts cold water, 3 yellow onions, 1 head garlic, 6 carrots, 4 ribs celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence, 4 bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 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 them and the excess broth (from the bones) back into the stockpot. Season to taste – the broth should taste lightly salted.
• Continue cooking the 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 and remove the surface fat the next day.

Becky’s Tips

Yield: 19 cups broth and 4 cups cooked chicken

• The broth will be slightly gelatinous, but it will liquefy and add a rich, lovely flavor when heated.
• This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten and Jacques Pepin.

Serving: 1cupCalories: 72kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3868IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Chicken Broth Step by Step

Cook all the ingredients: Place 2 (5-pound) whole young roasting chickens, 6 quarts cold water, 3 yellow onions, 1 head garlic, 6 carrots, 4 ribs celery with leaves, 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence, 4 bay leaves, 12 whole cloves, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce and 6 quarts of water in a stockpot.

Cook the ingredients: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 2½ hours.

Debone the chicken: Carefully transfer the chickens to two large bowls. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and set aside.

Return the bones to the pot: After removing the meat from the bones, place them and the excess broth (from the bones) back into the stockpot. Season to taste – the broth should taste lightly salted.

Cook some more: Continue cooking the broth another 1½ hours.

Cut and store the chicken: While the broth reduces, cut or shred the chicken meat and save 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.

Refrigerate and remove the fat: Refrigerate the broth overnight and remove the surface fat the next day.

Storage

Store leftover chicken broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Freeze leftover chicken broth in individual portions in airtight containers or Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. You can toss it right into a hot pan if it is in small portions, or thaw it overnight in the refrigerator for larger portions.

Serving Suggestions

I think this is the perfect base for so many soups, and I use it often because it’s part of so many other recipes. I always have a batch on hand so I can quickly make some kid-friendly Chicken Noodle Soup, our hearty Crockpot Tuscan Chicken Soup, this Italian Wedding Soup, or this flavorful Zuppa Toscana.

It also comes in handy when making all kinds of holiday recipes, like stuffing and casseroles, so you’ll definitely need this stuff around. I use this broth when preparing a Chicken and Rice Casserole and a Chicken Pot Pie Casserole. 

Chicken Broth vs Chicken Stock

Broth and Stock are made similarly, but chicken stock and chicken broth are not exactly the same. Both are liquids made by boiling chicken bones and/or meat along with vegetables. The difference is that chicken stock tends to be less seasoned, and is perfect as a base to make sauces, gravies, etc. Chicken broth, on the other hand, is well-seasoned and full of flavor, so it’s ready to consume as is.

more soup recipes to try

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hash Brown Potato Soup

Beer Cheese Soup (Made in 15 Minutes!)

Ham and Bean Soup