Chicken bone broth is such an easy and nutritious thing to make. It makes a great base for many meals such as soups and gravies. Plus, it is yummy to drink and works as a great remedy for illness.
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is broth made from bones. It can be made from the bones of pretty much any animal, but this recipe focuses on how to make chicken bone broth.
Because bones contain many minerals and vitamins the broth that is made from the bones contains these vitamins and minerals. This is one of the things I turn to first whenever someone in my house is starting to feel like they might be coming down with something. Quite often the bone broth nips whatever they are dealing with right in the butt.
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Why make bone broth?
By making it your self you avoid undesirable ingredients in your broth such as carmel coloring and gums.
It is also much more affordable to make bone broth than to buy it. Bone broth uses things that normally get thrown out from other meals and water. It doesn’t get much more affordable than that!
Bone broth is also highly nutritious and healing for the gut as well as the rest if the body. It is also high in collagen, which great for joints, hair, skin and nails.
What nutrients are in chicken bone broth?
Of course, what is in your exact chicken bone broth is going to differ based on what all gets put into the pot, but in general it contains:
- Vitamin A
- Collagen
- Vitamin C
- Iron
- Gelatin
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Protein
- Potassium
- Chondroitin sulfate
- Calcium
- Glucosamine
- Glycine
- Glutamine
Benefits of Bone of Broth
- Improves digestion
- Clears skin
- Protects joints
- Supports the immune system
- Supports the skin elasticity and repair
What supplies do you need to make chicken bone broth?
- A pot or slower cooker
- Bones
- Water
- Veggie scraps (optional)
- Herbs (optional)
- Salt (optional)
The stove, or a slow cooker can be used to make chicken bone broth. I use either one depending on what my plans are for food throughout the day. If I am planning a meal that uses the stove then I use the slow cooker and if I am planning something using the slow cooker already then, I use the stove.
If you are using the stove, then grab a pot that is big enough for the bones to fit inside of completely with space for water to cover the bones. (I have a large cast iron pot that I prefer to use.)
Chicken Bones
For the bones I use whatever left over bones I have from making other chicken meals. If I don’t have any bones from chicken meals, then I will use chicken backs and necks. These can be found at Azure Standard.
In addition to chicken bones I like to use chicken feet. The feet help to make the broth even more nutritious and to gel.
Veggie Scraps
I prefer to use my kitchen scraps to add flavor and depth to my broth over using whole vegetables. By using scraps I am being more sustainable and waste free which is important to me.
Whenever I cook I save my vegetable scraps by putting them into a reusable bag in the freezer. Then when I make broth I use whatever scraps are in the bag for my broth.
I save things such as:
- potato skins
- onions skins
- garlic skins
- celery leaves
- carrot peels
Do not go heavy on the greens in your broth as it really alters the flavor.
Once I have used the veggie scraps and bones in my broth they then go to the chickens or the compost pile. Nothing goes to waste this way.
What to use chicken bome broth for?
Really the options are endless. Some of my favorites are:
- Rice
- Soup
- Drinking
- Hot chocolate (hold the salt for this one)
- Chicken curry
- Chili
What are your favorite ways to use chicken bone broth?
Chicken Bone Broth
Chicken bone borth is wonderful to drink and works as a great base for many meals. I use mine especially for making rice.
Ingredients
- Chicken carcass
- Water
- 3T Apple cider vinegar
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1t Salt
- 1 c vegetable scraps
Instructions
- Put the chicken bones in a pot.
- Fill the pot up with water just over the bones.
- Add the apple cider vinegar.
- Add in any vegetables you want, salt
- Simmer for 2-48 hours
- When done strain the solids out and jar the broth. Once cooled this can then be stored in the fridge. If the fat forms a layer on top this will keep the broth good in the fridge for about a month. Without the fat layer it is good for about a week. As with anyting always smell it before drinking to make sure it hasn't gone bad.
Notes
The vegetables can be really anything. Just do NOT do a lot of greens as they make the flavor and smell rather unpleasant. I use whatever vegetable scraps (onion skins, garlic skins, carrot peels) I have, sometimes it is 2 cups worth and other times it's less than a cup. If you don't have anything then cut up 2-4 carrots, an onion, 5 garlic cloves and add them to the pot.
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