This Golden Chicken Bone Broth is great as a base for a variety of chicken soup recipes, or perfect in a mug for sipping. Forget store-bought broths that taste like cardboard and promise empty hydration. Whip up a batch of this real chicken bone broth. Make our Golden Chicken Bone Broth recipe in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, or a large pot on the stove top and unlock a world of golden nourishment.
This rich homemade bone broth, brimming with collagen and gut-friendly goodness, nourishes your body and elevates your soups, stews, and sauces to new heights. So, lets gather our ingredients, bring out the Instant or stock pot, and let's simmer some golden magic!
Our bone broth, isn't just a flavorful base for your creations. It's a pot full of potential health benefits waiting to be unleashed in your kitchen. Here are some reasons we love using real chicken bone broth in The Whole Revolution kitchen:
Collagen Boost: Packed with collagen, a protein essential for healthy skin, joints, and gut lining, bone broth has been known to improve skin elasticity, reduce joint pain, and promote gut health.
Nutrient Powerhouse: Bone broth provides a natural source of minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, important for bone health, while also offering trace minerals like iron and zinc.
Gut-Friendly Fuel: The amino acids in bone broth, particularly glycine, can act as prebiotics, nourishing the good bacteria in your gut and supporting digestive health.
Immune Support: Some studies suggest bone broth may boost the immune system with its collagen and amino acid content.
Hydration Homie: Bone broth, with its electrolyte content, can be a delicious and hydrating alternative to plain water.
Flavor Magic: Beyond the health benefits, bone broth adds umami to soups, stews, gravies, and risottos. A great way to bring extra depth of flavor to a variety of dishes.
Beyond Bone Broth: when the broth cools and the chicken fat separates, you can leave this in the broth or remove it to use for cooking. In The Whole Revolution kitchen we remove about half of the fat for cooking (storing it in the fridge) and leave the rest in the broth for flavor.
Remember, while bone broth can be a valuable addition to your diet, it's not a magic potion. Enjoy it as part of a balanced diet and consult your healthcare provider if you have any specific health concerns.
We offer step-by-step instructions for creating this delicious bone broth with an Instant Pot (pressure cooker), slow cooker, or stove top.
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Ingredients
- Carrots, celery, leek (chopped)
- Fresh poultry herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary)
- Fresh parsley
- Garlic halves
- Organic chicken legs
- Dried bay leaves
- Sea salt
- Black pepper corns
- Filtered water
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Pressure Cooker:
- Thoroughly wash your celery, leeks, and carrots. You can chop them up in large chucks or leave whole. Make sure you slice open your leeks and give each layer a good wash in cold water.
- Toss those chopped carrots, celery, and leek into your Instant Pot. Add the poultry herbs and the fresh parsley.
- Nestle the chicken legs atop the veggie bed. Scatter the garlic halves, bay leaves, and sprinkle in the peppercorns.
- Pour in enough filtered water to submerge the chicken by at least an inch. Seal the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure valve to sealing.
- Set your Instant Pot for 60 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
- Separate the golden broth from the solids by passing it through a fine sieve into a large bowl, pot, or pitcher.
- Once the cooking time is complete, carefully remove the chicken legs and let them cool slightly. Pull the meat off the bones, discarding the skin and bones.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if desired.
Slow Cooker:
- Nestle the chopped carrots, celery, and leek into the base of your slow cooker. Add the poultry herbs, parsley, and garlic halves.
- Place the chicken legs on top of the vegetable bed. Scatter in the bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns.
- Pour in enough filtered water to cover the chicken by at least 1 inch.
- Cover your slow cooker and set it to low for 12 to 48 hours or high for 4-8 hours.
- Separate the golden broth from the solids by passing it through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pot, or pitcher.
- Once the cooking time is complete, carefully remove the chicken legs and let them cool slightly. Pull the meat off the bones, discarding the skin and bones.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if desired.
Stove Top:
- In a large Dutch oven or large stock pot, toss together the chopped carrots, celery, and leek. Add the poultry herbs and top with the fresh parsley.
- Nestle the chicken legs atop the veggie bed. Scatter the garlic halves, bay leaves, and sprinkle in the peppercorns.
- Pour in enough filtered water to submerge the chicken by at least an inch. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3-6 hours, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
- Separate the golden broth from the solids by passing it through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pot, or pitcher.
- Once the cooking time is complete, carefully remove the chicken legs and let them cool slightly. Pull the meat off the bones, discarding the skin and bones.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if desired.
Substitutions
- Fresh poultry herbs swap: No fresh herbs on hand? Don't fret! Substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Chicken leg alternatives: Swap the chicken legs for a bag of saved chicken bones or a whole chicken carcass. You can also use a pound of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, chicken feet, a whole chicken, or a combination of chicken parts like chicken backs and chicken wings for an even richer broth.
- Vegetable versatility: Add in other chopped vegetables like yellow onion, mushrooms, or parsnips to customize your broth's flavor profile.
Variations
- Turmeric toss: Infuse your broth with turmeric's vibrant color and anti-inflammatory properties for an extra health boost. Add a teaspoon of ground turmeric along with the other aromatics for a deeper golden glow.
- Ginger hit: Crave a bit of spice? Toss in a few slices of fresh ginger alongside the garlic for a warming kick that awakens your taste buds.
- Herby mix: Experiment with other fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, and rosemary to tailor your broth to your personal preferences.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other pressure cooker
- Large bowl or pot
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Cutting board and knife
Storage
- Store your cooled broth in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze the broth in freezer-proof containers for up to 3 months for a quick and convenient flavor boost whenever you need it.
Top tip
For an extra depth of flavor, roast the chicken, vegetables, and garlic before adding them to the Instant Pot, slow cooker or soup pot. This caramelization intensifies the natural sweetness of the vegetables and brings out the rich slow roasted flavor of the chicken to infuses the broth with an irresistible warmth and depth of flavor.
- Roasting exposes the chicken's surface to high heat, triggering a process called Maillard reaction. This reaction caramelizes the natural sugars in the chicken's skin and muscles, resulting in deeper, richer, and more complex flavors that infuse the broth.
- Roasting melts and renders fat from the chicken, which adds a silky mouthfeel and additional richness to the broth. Don't worry, most of the fat separates upon cooling and can be easily skimmed off if you prefer a lighter homemade broth.
- During roasting, drippings from the chicken accumulate on the pan, creating a flavorful caramelized fond. Adding this to the broth infuses it with an intensely meaty and savory character, almost like the rich flavor of gravy.
- Roasting slightly dries the chicken's exterior, allowing for better browning during simmering. This browning further contributes to the rich, golden color and deeper flavor profile of the broth.
- While roasting isn't essential, it's a simple step that takes your golden chicken bone broth from good to great. So, if you have the time and inclination, give it a try and experience the flavor boost this step provides.
- Experiment with different cooking methods like searing or pan-frying the chicken to see which technique best suits your taste and time constraints. Ultimately, the key is to choose a method that unlocks the most flavor from your ingredients and brings warmth and comfort to your table.
FAQ
Absolutely! Skin-off pieces create a lighter broth, while skin-on offers a richer flavor. Choose based on your preference.
It's up to you! If you prefer a lighter broth, remove the skin before straining. If you don't mind a richer flavor, leave it on during the cooking process and simply discard it before straining.
Shred the cooked chicken and add it to soups, stews, salads, or use it as a protein topping for rice or quinoa. It's a versatile ingredient waiting to be repurposed.
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Food safety
- Always handle raw chicken with care and wash your hands thoroughly before and after working with it.
- Ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) during pressure cooking to eliminate harmful bacteria. Use a food thermometer to check for accuracy.
- Cool down the chicken broth quickly after cooking by placing it in an ice bath or shallow pan set over ice. Once cooled, transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
- Never reheat broth more than once. When reheating, ensure it reaches a steaming temperature throughout to eliminate potential bacterial growth.
- Don't consume broth stored in the refrigerator for longer than 5 days or frozen broth kept for more than 3 months. When in doubt, throw it out!
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