Chicken bone broth is so easy to make in a slow cooker and tastes much better than store-bought! You can use this chicken bone broth recipe as the base for many dishes, such as soups, stews, casseroles, and sauces. Not only that – chicken bone broth is rich in vitamins and minerals, making it incredibly nutritious and beneficial for your health!
Once you’ve tried my chicken bone broth recipe, there’s no going back! It’s full of flavor and really simple to make.
The key to making amazing chicken bone broth is to take your time. This is why using a slow cooker is a great way to make it – the longer the simmer time, the better!
What is Bone Broth?
Bone broth is a nutrient-dense liquid made by simmering animal bones, vegetables, and herbs. It’s essentially a stock cooked for a long period of time to extract as many nutrients from the bones as possible. Bone broth is often used in place of (or in addition to) water in recipes to boost flavor and nutrition.
You can use any type of bone to create a slow cooker bone broth. However, in this recipe, I used chicken bones and vegetables. The result is a delicious, nutritious chicken broth that’s full of flavor!
Chicken Bone Broth Benefits
During the cooking process, the minerals and vitamins from the chicken bones are released into the broth. These minerals and vitamins can include:
- Collagen (which turns into gelatine when cooked)
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- B vitamins
- Omega 3s and 6s
- Vitamin A
- Magnesium
- Amino acids
- And many more!
These minerals and vitamins benefit our health in various ways. This means crockpot bone broth can offer certain health benefits, such as:
- Supporting joint health
- Aiding digestion and gut health
- Promoting skin health and elasticity
- Improving immune system function
- Reducing inflammation
- Increasing hydration and nutrient absorption
So not only is bone broth delicious but there are so many chicken bone broth benefits, too!
Why You’ll Love My Chicken Bone Broth Recipe
- Rich in flavor. Chicken bone broth is so much more flavorful than store-bought broths. The slow cooker really brings out the natural flavor of the bones and vegetable scraps!
- Easy to make: Making bone broth in a slow cooker is very simple – you just add all the ingredients, set it, and forget it!
- Full control. When you learn how to make chicken bone broth, you have complete control over the ingredients. This means you can customize your own bone broth to suit your dietary needs or preferences!
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Chicken Bone Broth
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onions
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Chicken carcass
- Peppercorns
- Salt
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Sage leaves
- Water
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
- Place the vegetables and chicken carcass in the slow cooker.
- Add the salt and peppercorns.
- Pour enough water in to cover or almost cover the ingredients. DO NOT use too much water or overfill the slow cooker. Keep the water level at least 2 inches from the lid.
- Cook on a low setting for 8 hours.
- Cool, strain, and store in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
Choosing the Best Bones For Chicken Bone Broth
You can use any type of bones to make broth – chicken, pork, lamb, fish, and beef bones. For this recipe, I used chicken bones to create a yummy chicken bone broth.
The best bones for making homemade bone broth contain the most connective tissues and marrow. This means bones like chicken feet, necks, legs, and wings are ideal. But don’t worry if you can’t find these, as any chicken bones will do! The more bones you use, the richer and more flavourful your broth will be.
How to Use Chicken Bone Broth
You can use chicken bone broth in place of chicken stock or broth in almost any recipe. However, there are so many other things you can do with it! Here are some ideas:
- Drink it as is – simply pour yourself a mug of warm bone broth like you would tea!
- Use it as the base for a hearty soup or stew
- Add it to casseroles instead of stock – broccoli rice casserole or chicken pasta casserole are two of my favorites
- Make a delicious and nutritious sauce for your favorite dishes
- Use half water, half bone broth when boiling pasta or making rice
- Make a warming chicken risotto with chicken bone broth
- Use it as a base for homemade gravy or sauces
Keep a batch of bone broth in the fridge or freezer; you’ll have a delicious, nutritious ingredient on hand whenever needed!
Your homemade broth can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Store your broth in an airtight container, such as a mason jar or glass container.
Yes, you can freeze chicken bone broth! Once cooled, pour it into freezer-safe containers, freezer bags, or ice cube trays and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge overnight; it should be ready for use the next day.
This chicken bone broth recipe works with both fresh or frozen bones. You can add the bones directly to the crock pot if they have been previously cooked. If not, it’s best to roast them in the oven for 20-30 minutes first for added depth of flavor.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, an Instant Pot is the best way to make this homemade chicken bone broth recipe – in a fraction of the time! You will still get all the benefits of bone broth without waiting a long time. Add all your ingredients to your Instant Pot and cook it on high pressure for 2 hours.
Yes, you can usually buy chicken bones from a butcher. Some grocery stores or farm shops may also sell them.
If you can’t find somewhere to buy chicken bones, get a rotisserie chicken from the store. Use the meat for something else and save the leftover bones for this chicken bone broth recipe.
Chicken Bone Broth Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 stalks celery large dice
- 2-3 large carrots large dice
- 1-2 medium onions quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 medium tomatoes quartered
- 1 chicken carcass A leftover rotisserie chicken works great for this.
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 sage leaves
- 8-10 cups water enough to almost cover the chicken, don't overfill the slow cooker.
Instructions
- Place the vegetalbes and chicken carcass in the slow cooker.
- Add the salt and peppercorns.
- Pour enough water in to cover or almost cover the ingredients. DO NOT overfill the slow cooker. Leave at least 2 inches from the lid.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Cool, strain, and store in airtight containers for up to 1 week.
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