Chicken Broth Recipe Ideas: Comfort in a Bowl

Chicken Broth Recipe Ideas are the foundation of countless comforting, nourishing, and flavorful dishes, making them a kitchen essential. At its core, chicken broth is created by simmering chicken bones, meat, vegetables, and herbs, but recipe variations allow you to adapt it to different cuisines and tastes. Traditional recipes highlight onions, carrots, and celery with garlic and peppercorns for a classic homemade broth that forms the base of soups, stews, and risottos. For added depth, you can roast the chicken bones before simmering, giving the broth a rich, roasted flavor.

Asian-inspired Chicken Broth Recipe Ideas often incorporate ginger, soy sauce, scallions, or star anise, perfect for ramen or pho. To boost nutrition, some recipes add kale, spinach, or turmeric, creating a healing broth ideal for cold and flu relief. Chicken broth can also be reduced into a concentrated stock for sauces or frozen in cubes for quick meal prep. Whether sipped on its own as a warm, soothing drink or used as the flavorful backbone of complex dishes, chicken broth recipe ideas are versatile, customizable, and always satisfying. They’re not only budget-friendly and easy to make but also deliver comfort and nourishment in every spoonful.

Chicken Broth Recipe Ideas

Classic Homemade Chicken Broth

Credit @bluntcook.com

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into pieces

• 12 cups cold water

• 1 medium onion, halved

• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped

• 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped

• 1 tbsp salt

• Optional sachet: 6 parsley stems, 1 sprig thyme, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp peppercorns

Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add chicken pieces and cold water to cover.

2. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat to low and skim foam off top.

3. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and optionally the sachet of herbs.

4. Simmer very gently for 1 to 5 hours (longer = richer flavor). Remove chicken breasts after 1 hour to avoid drying out.

5. Remove chicken, discard skin and bones (save meat for another use).

6. Strain broth through fine mesh or cheesecloth into a bowl.

7. Chill overnight; remove solidified fat from top before using or freezing.

8. Store broth in airtight containers refrigerated (up to 4 days) or frozen.

Rotisserie Chicken Broth

Credit @triedandtruerecipes

• Bones and skin from 1 rotisserie chicken

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Place rotisserie chicken bones and skin in slow cooker or large pot.

2. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns.

3. Cover with water.

4. Slow cooker: cook on low for 10-12 hours.

5. Stovetop: bring to boil then simmer gently for 3-4 hours.

6. Strain and store broth in fridge or freezer as desired.

Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth

Credit @homesteadingfamily

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds chicken bones or carcass
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Water to cover (up to max fill line)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in Instant Pot and fill with water to max fill line.
2. Seal and cook on high pressure for 120 minutes.
3. Let pressure release naturally for 30 minutes, then quick release.
4. Strain broth through cheesecloth or fine sieve.
5. Cool and refrigerate or freeze.

Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken Broth

Credit @fitslowcookerqueen.com

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds chicken parts (bones preferred)
• 2 carrots, halved
• 2 celery stalks, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 parsley stems
• 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
• Salt to taste
• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
2. Fill with water to cover everything.
3. Cook on low for 10-15 hours.
4. Halfway through, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves if not added initially.
5. Strain broth and discard solids.
6. Cool and store broth in fridge or freezer.

Chicken Broth with Roasted Vegetables

 

Credit @the_foragers_hearth

Ingredients:

• Chicken carcass or bones
• 2 onions, quartered
• 3 carrots, chunked
• 3 celery stalks, chunked
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• Herbs: thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns
• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss onions, carrots, celery, and garlic with olive oil.
2. Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes until browned.
3. In large pot, add chicken bones and roasted vegetables.
4. Add herbs and cover with water.
5. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.
6. Strain and cool broth before storage.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Broth

Credit @thecozycook

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken or bones

• 1 onion, halved

• 3 garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 carrots, halved

• 2 celery stalks, halved

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 6 parsley stems

• Bay leaf, peppercorns, salt

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Add chicken, vegetables, garlic, herbs to pot with water.

2. Bring to boil, then simmer gently for at least 2 hours.

3. Add lemon juice last 15 min of cooking.

4. Strain broth; adjust salt to taste.

Spicy Ginger Chicken Broth

Credit @laurabaule0

Ingredients:

• Chicken bones or whole chicken

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2 carrots, halved

• 3 slices fresh ginger

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1-2 dried red chilies (adjust heat)

• Salt to taste

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in stockpot with water.

2. Bring to boil, skim foam, then simmer gently 3-4 hours.

3. Strain, cool, and refrigerate or freeze.

Chicken Broth with Turmeric & Herbs

Credit @jogjavillage

Ingredients:

• Chicken carcass or bones

• 1 onion quartered

• 3 carrots

• 3 celery stalks

• 1 tbsp turmeric powder or 2-inch fresh turmeric root sliced

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 parsley stems

• Peppercorns

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to pot.

2. Bring to boil and reduce to a slow simmer for several hours.

3. Strain and cool broth.

4. Turmeric gives a warm golden color and subtle earthiness.

Thai-Style Chicken Broth (Lemongrass, Lime, Chili)

Credit @carolinesomers

Ingredients:

• Chicken bones or carcass

• 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed

• 3 kaffir lime leaves

• 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, sliced

• 2-3 fresh red chilies

• 1 small onion

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1 lime, juice and zest

• Fish sauce or salt to taste

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Combine chicken bones, lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, chilies, onion, and garlic in pot.

2. Add water and bring to boil, then simmer for 2-4 hours.

3. Add lime zest and juice in last 10 minutes; season with fish sauce or salt.

4. Strain and use as base for Thai soups or noodle dishes.

Chicken & Mushroom Broth

Credit @cleanfoodcrush

Ingredients:

• Chicken bones or carcass

• 1 cup mixed mushrooms, sliced

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2 carrots, halved

• 2 celery stalks, halved

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1 bay leaf

• Peppercorns

• Water to cover

Instructions:

1. Roast chicken bones (optional) and mushrooms in oven at 400°F for 20 minutes for deeper flavor.

2. Add roasted bones, mushrooms, vegetables, herbs, and water to stockpot.

3. Bring to boil, simmer gently for 3-4 hours.

4. Strain broth and cool for storage.