There are moments when I quickly need a basic liquid for rice, sauces, or other dishes, so I usually make chicken stock in larger quantities, portion it, and keep it in the freezer. It's made with common ingredients and, although it simmers for a while, it doesn't involve complicated steps. I usually use chicken carcasses or wings that I gather over time.
Quick info
Total time: 2 hours
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours
Quantity: approx. 2 liters of stock
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: base for sauces, soups, risotto, dishes with chicken, rabbit, or veal
Ingredients
1 kg chicken carcass (wings, necks, or backs can also be used)
3 liters hot water
1 carrot
1 onion
2 stalks of celery and/or a piece of celery root
1-2 pieces of leek (optional)
2 cloves
Whole pepper (and a little ground pepper, optional)
Salt (just a little at the beginning)
1 bouquet garni (a sprig of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves)
Optionally 1 beef bone (if you have it handy)
Preparation method
1. Wash the chicken carcass and all the bones you are using well. Remove any excess skin or unwanted fragments.
2. Clean the carrot, celery, onion, and leek (if using). Stick the two cloves into the onion.
3. Place the meat, bones, and vegetables in a large pot.
4. Pour 3 liters of hot water over them. Using boiling water helps to clarify the stock and reduces the need to change the water after the first boil, as happens with regular soups with raw bones.
5. Add the bouquet garni, whole pepper (a few), a little salt, and, if you have it, the beef bone.
6. Let everything simmer uncovered on low heat for between 1 hour and 30 minutes and 2 hours. During this time, skim as needed, especially at the beginning. It is important to maintain a gentle simmer, not a strong boil.
7. The stock is not heavily salted at the beginning because as it reduces, the liquid will concentrate and the salty taste will increase. Taste at the end and adjust if necessary.
8. After cooking, strain the stock through a fine sieve. Carefully remove the fat from the surface while it is still warm.
9. Let the stock cool. If you want to keep it longer, pour it into ice cube trays or portion it into small containers and freeze. It lasts two days in the fridge.
Why I make this recipe often
I like having a clean base for soups or sauces at hand. It has a natural taste, and I can control the salt exactly. It freezes easily in small portions, so I don’t end up with large quantities and don’t have to buy instant stock.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Use hot water, not cold, to avoid clouding the stock and the need to change the water at the first boil.
- Regular skimming is important to achieve a clear liquid.
- Do not add wine or sauté the vegetables, as is common with other types of stock; this version is a white stock, where all ingredients are added raw.
- Salt cautiously at the beginning. The taste concentrates at the end.
- If you have a beef bone, you can add it for extra flavor, but it’s not mandatory.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have a bouquet garni, just add a few sprigs of parsley, a bit of thyme, and a leaf or two of bay.
- Celery can be just from the root or just from the stalks; either option works.
- Chicken wings work very well if you don’t have a carcass.
Variations
- Sometimes, for a different flavor, I add a bit of parsley or rosemary to the ice cube trays before freezing.
- For a stronger stock, I let it simmer for nearly two hours and reduce the liquid more.
Serving ideas
- For risotto, replace vegetable broth or water with chicken stock.
- It’s suitable as a base for sauces, such as velouté or demi-glace.
- It can be used for clear soups, as a boiling liquid for rice or pasta, or as a base for stews with white meat.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use leftover cooked chicken (already boiled/fried meat) for stock?
No, for classic white stock, raw meat and bones are used, not already cooked leftovers.
2. Why are cloves added to the onion?
Cloves give a subtle flavor without becoming dominant. They are stuck into the onion to make them easier to remove at the end and not get lost in the stock.
3. What do I do if the stock turns cloudy?
Generally, cloudiness occurs if you don’t skim or if the liquid boils too hard. However, it can still be used for dishes where clarity is not essential.
4. Can I freeze the stock in jars?
Yes, but leave space for expansion; otherwise, you risk the jar cracking in the freezer. I prefer small ice cube trays; they thaw faster, and I can take exactly what I need.
5. Can the stock be salted more at the beginning?
I do not recommend it. The salt concentrates during boiling; it’s better to adjust the taste at the end, after the liquid has reduced.
Nutritional values
Estimated values for 100 ml of stock:
- 10-20 kcal
- protein 2-3 g
- fat 0.5-1.5 g (may vary depending on how much skin and fat goes into the stock)
- carbohydrates under 1 g
It does not have a high calorie content but provides proteins and minerals extracted from bones and vegetables. The data are approximate, based on general values for clear chicken soup.
Storage and reheating
In the fridge, the stock holds well for two days. For long-term storage, portion and freeze. It can be easily thawed in the microwave or directly in a small pot. If the fat separates on the surface, you can scoop it off with a spoon or leave it for extra flavor when cooking. I do not recommend storing at room temperature.
Quick info
Total time: 2 hours
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours
Quantity: approx. 2 liters of stock
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: base for sauces, soups, risotto, dishes with chicken, rabbit, or veal
Ingredients
1 kg chicken carcass (wings, necks, or backs can also be used)
3 liters hot water
1 carrot
1 onion
2 stalks of celery and/or a piece of celery root
1-2 pieces of leek (optional)
2 cloves
Whole pepper (and a little ground pepper, optional)
Salt (just a little at the beginning)
1 bouquet garni (a sprig of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves)
Optionally 1 beef bone (if you have it handy)
Preparation method
1. Wash the chicken carcass and all the bones you are using well. Remove any excess skin or unwanted fragments.
2. Clean the carrot, celery, onion, and leek (if using). Stick the two cloves into the onion.
3. Place the meat, bones, and vegetables in a large pot.
4. Pour 3 liters of hot water over them. Using boiling water helps to clarify the stock and reduces the need to change the water after the first boil, as happens with regular soups with raw bones.
5. Add the bouquet garni, whole pepper (a few), a little salt, and, if you have it, the beef bone.
6. Let everything simmer uncovered on low heat for between 1 hour and 30 minutes and 2 hours. During this time, skim as needed, especially at the beginning. It is important to maintain a gentle simmer, not a strong boil.
7. The stock is not heavily salted at the beginning because as it reduces, the liquid will concentrate and the salty taste will increase. Taste at the end and adjust if necessary.
8. After cooking, strain the stock through a fine sieve. Carefully remove the fat from the surface while it is still warm.
9. Let the stock cool. If you want to keep it longer, pour it into ice cube trays or portion it into small containers and freeze. It lasts two days in the fridge.
Why I make this recipe often
I like having a clean base for soups or sauces at hand. It has a natural taste, and I can control the salt exactly. It freezes easily in small portions, so I don’t end up with large quantities and don’t have to buy instant stock.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Use hot water, not cold, to avoid clouding the stock and the need to change the water at the first boil.
- Regular skimming is important to achieve a clear liquid.
- Do not add wine or sauté the vegetables, as is common with other types of stock; this version is a white stock, where all ingredients are added raw.
- Salt cautiously at the beginning. The taste concentrates at the end.
- If you have a beef bone, you can add it for extra flavor, but it’s not mandatory.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have a bouquet garni, just add a few sprigs of parsley, a bit of thyme, and a leaf or two of bay.
- Celery can be just from the root or just from the stalks; either option works.
- Chicken wings work very well if you don’t have a carcass.
Variations
- Sometimes, for a different flavor, I add a bit of parsley or rosemary to the ice cube trays before freezing.
- For a stronger stock, I let it simmer for nearly two hours and reduce the liquid more.
Serving ideas
- For risotto, replace vegetable broth or water with chicken stock.
- It’s suitable as a base for sauces, such as velouté or demi-glace.
- It can be used for clear soups, as a boiling liquid for rice or pasta, or as a base for stews with white meat.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use leftover cooked chicken (already boiled/fried meat) for stock?
No, for classic white stock, raw meat and bones are used, not already cooked leftovers.
2. Why are cloves added to the onion?
Cloves give a subtle flavor without becoming dominant. They are stuck into the onion to make them easier to remove at the end and not get lost in the stock.
3. What do I do if the stock turns cloudy?
Generally, cloudiness occurs if you don’t skim or if the liquid boils too hard. However, it can still be used for dishes where clarity is not essential.
4. Can I freeze the stock in jars?
Yes, but leave space for expansion; otherwise, you risk the jar cracking in the freezer. I prefer small ice cube trays; they thaw faster, and I can take exactly what I need.
5. Can the stock be salted more at the beginning?
I do not recommend it. The salt concentrates during boiling; it’s better to adjust the taste at the end, after the liquid has reduced.
Nutritional values
Estimated values for 100 ml of stock:
- 10-20 kcal
- protein 2-3 g
- fat 0.5-1.5 g (may vary depending on how much skin and fat goes into the stock)
- carbohydrates under 1 g
It does not have a high calorie content but provides proteins and minerals extracted from bones and vegetables. The data are approximate, based on general values for clear chicken soup.
Storage and reheating
In the fridge, the stock holds well for two days. For long-term storage, portion and freeze. It can be easily thawed in the microwave or directly in a small pot. If the fat separates on the surface, you can scoop it off with a spoon or leave it for extra flavor when cooking. I do not recommend storing at room temperature.