Making your own nourishing bone broth on the stove using a whole chicken gives you the control to use the best ingredients, and flavor to your taste. This simple process helps you meal prep chicken, while also providing you with broth to use now or freeze for later.
When you learn how to make this nourishing bone broth on the stove using a whole chicken, you will wonder why you ever bought broth from the store!
Store bought broths can be loaded with sodium and additives. Make the switch to made from-scratch in your own kitchen for better taste, better health benefits, and better ingredients.
This simple process will provide you with nutritious broth. As a bonus, you will also have cooked chicken to meal prep or use right away.
Gather your tools and ingredients.
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Tools: (always use glass, cast iron, stainless, and wood when possible)
- large stainless stock pot or enameled cast iron dutch oven
- meat forks
- measuring spoons and cups
- large stainless steel colander
- large stainless steel bowl
- oven mitts
Ingredients: (always use local and organic when possible)
- 1 whole chicken (frozen or fresh)
- 6 carrots (broken in half)
- 4 stalks of celery (broken in half)
- 1 large onion (quartered with skin still on)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP dried thyme
- 1 TBSP dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- water to cover chicken
Optional recipe variations:
- Add garlic, bay leaves, or whatever spices you want to season your broth.
- Save bones from a time you cook chicken another way (they freeze well) and just use bones instead of a whole chicken.
- Try using the same recipe in your Instant Pot and use high pressure for 90 minutes.
- Try using the same recipe in your crock pot and cook on high for 24 hours.
- Once your chicken is cooked and removed from the broth, instead of using the broth right away, remove the chicken from the bones and place them back in the broth to continue to simmer for several more hours.
Recipe for how to make nourishing bone broth on the stove using a whole chicken:
Step One
Fill your stock pot or dutch oven about half full with filtered water. Add the remainder of the ingredients into the pot. If the chicken is not covered in water, add more water until it is.
Step Two
Place your stock pot or dutch oven on the stove top and turn heat onto high. Wait for water to boil, and then turn heat onto medium low. Place the lid on the pot and let simmer for 2 1/2 hours or longer. As long as your chicken is cooked through, you are good to go. The longer it cooks, the more tender the meat will be and the more nutritious your broth will be.
Step Three
Remove the chicken from the broth using meat forks after at least 2 1/2 hours of cook time. Place chicken on a sturdy platter and let cool slightly. Once slightly cooled, start removing the chicken from the bones using your hands or a fork. You can either place all of the chicken in a large bowl and shred with forks, or you can place the chicken on a cutting board to cut to desired sizes. Use your chicken right away, or store in the fridge for up to five days.
Step Four (optional)
Throw the bones and skin back into the broth if you aren’t using the broth right away. Allow to simmer for several more hours to really pull the nutrients from the bones for more nutritional value. Move to step five when you are done simmering.
Step Five
Strain the broth through a large colander into a large bowl. Remove the colander from the bowl after pouring all of the contents into it. Set the colander and scraps aside. Let the strained broth cool slightly.
Step Six
Pour the slightly cooled broth into jars. Use freezer safe jars if you want to store in the freezer for use at a later date. Use any jar if you would like to store in the fridge for up to five days. You should end up with 8-12 cups of broth when you are finished. This will depend on how much water you needed to cover the chicken, how hot and how long you simmer, and if you keep the lid on the whole time. So you may have more or less than 8-12 cups.
My favorite ways to use nourishing bone broth:
- Drink straight from a mug.
- Pour a little into eggs when making scrambled eggs.
- Use as a base for all of our soups like Cabbage and Beef Soup.
- Cook rice in it.
- Pour it in a crock pot with a pork shoulder or loin to make pulled pork.
Leave me a comment and let me know how you like to use bone broth!
How to Make Nourishing Bone Broth on the Stove
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (frozen or fresh)
- 6 whole carrots (broken in half)
- 4 stalks celery (broken in half)
- 1 large onion (quartered with the skin on)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP dried thyme
- 1 TBSP dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- water to cover chicken
Instructions
- Fill your stock pot or dutch oven about half full with filtered water. Add the remainder of the ingredients into the pot. If the chicken is not covered in water, add more water until it is.
- Place your stock pot or dutch oven on the stove top and turn heat onto high. Wait for water to boil, and then turn heat onto medium low. Place the lid on the pot and let simmer for 2 1/2 hours or longer. As long as your chicken is cooked through, you are good to go. The longer it cooks, the more tender the meat will be and the more nutritious your broth will be.
- Remove the chicken from the broth using meat forks after at least 2 1/2 hours of cook time. Place chicken on a sturdy platter and let cool slightly. Once slightly cooled, start removing the chicken from the bones using your hands or a fork. You can either place all of the chicken in a large bowl and shred with forks, or you can place the chicken on a cutting board to cut to desired sizes. Use your chicken right away, or store in the fridge for up to five days.
- (optional) Throw the bones and skin back into the broth if you aren’t using the broth right away. Allow to simmer for several more hours to really pull the nutrients from the bones for more nutritional value. Move to step five when you are done simmering.
- Strain the broth through a large colander into a large bowl. Remove the colander from the bowl after pouring all of the contents into it. Set the colander and scraps aside. Let the strained broth cool slightly.
- Pour the slightly cooled broth into jars. Use freezer safe jars if you want to store in the freezer for use at a later date. Use any jar if you would like to store in the fridge for up to five days. You should end up with 8-12 cups of broth when you are finished. This will depend on how much water you needed to cover the chicken, how hot and how long you simmer, and if you keep the lid on the whole time. So you may have more or less than 8-12 cups.
Thanks for stopping by the homestead and living The Sensible Life!
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