Make easy homemade slow cooker chicken stock – it’s healthy, delicious, and frugal! Cross chicken stock off your grocery list. Once you start making it yourself, you’ll do it again and again because it’s so simple!
Along with No-Fail Homemade Mayo and Dairy Free Ranch Dressing, slow cooker chicken stock is a staple in my kitchen.
Up until just a couple of years ago, I pretty much ignored “chicken stock” in every ingredient list and substituted water instead. A travesty on multiple levels, I know.
Fortunately, I’ve come to my senses.
Now, before you roll your eyes at me and think “Great, ANOTHER homemade chicken stock recipe post from ANOTHER real foodie,” let me explain…
This isn’t just any chicken stock recipe. It’s quite possibly the easiest chicken stock you’ve ever made. And we’re frugal in these parts of the web too, so you know we’re doing as much as we can with as little as possible.
Your family will enjoy the flavor and richness of this chicken stock in nearly all of the recipes on your meal plan, like Homemade Ramen Noodle Soup, Zuppa Toscana Soup, and let me tell you…it makes a delicious Chicken Noodle Soup!
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE
Not only is this slow cooker chicken stock recipe a perfect base for all of your soup recipes, but it’s also:
- Easy. Load the slow cooker and let it do all the work!
- Nutritious. By drawing all of the minerals out of the chicken bones, you get the benefits of calcium, magnesium, collagen, and more in your meals.
- Delicious. Homemade chicken stock just tastes good!
- Frugal. You save 93% by making it yourself!
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING CHICKEN STOCK
All you really need for making chicken stock are chicken bones and innards, apple cider vinegar, and water, but I’ve listed some additional items you can add for even more flavor.
- Chicken carcass, spine, skin, innards, and bones from two whole chickens
- Apple cider vinegar (make it yourself). This helps release the nutrients within the chicken bones.
- Filtered water
- Onion (optional)
- Carrots (optional)
- Celery stalks (optional)
- Parsley (optional)
- Additional kitchen scraps for flavor (optional): See this post for a list of all of the scraps you can use for making chicken stock instead of throwing them in the garbage!
Some people also like to add bay leaves or other herbs and spices, but I prefer to leave my chicken stock unseasoned and add salt and other seasonings when I make specific recipes.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK IN THE SLOW COOKER
Here’s how to make chicken stock crock pot style.
Step 1. Combine all the ingredients, except parsley, in a slow cooker. Cook on low for a full 24 hours for the most nutrient-dense stock. If you don’t have 24 hours, I recommend a minimum of 4 hours on high, or 10 hours on low.
Step 2. 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley (if using).
Step 3. Turn off the slow cooker and skim any particles that have floated to the top with a slotted spoon. Allow the chicken stock to cool completely.
Step 4. Strain chicken parts and store them in a freezer-safe bag for future stock. Discard the vegetables. If desired, use a fine mesh strainer to get any leftover bits out of the homemade stock.
You can reuse the leftover bones for multiple batches of stock until they start to fall apart. I’ve found that I don’t like the flavor of the stock as much after 3 batches – the bones “cook” and that flavor comes through. Each subsequent batch will get lighter, but you’re still getting nutrients!
Chicken stock can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for several months.
MY METHOD FOR MAKING CHICKEN STOCK CROCK POT
When it comes to getting the most I possibly can from a whole chicken, I have a somewhat methodical system.
First, I decide how I’m going to cook my chickens.
I may also decide to just chop my chickens into parts and freeze the raw chicken for future cooking. It took me about 20 minutes the first time, but after doing this every month for well over a year, I’ve gotten it down to two chickens in roughly 10 minutes. Maybe I should moonlight as a butcher…
Typically, if I choose this method, I simply save the chicken skin, innards, and spine in a resealable bag in the freezer until I have enough pieces for a full batch of stock.
However I’m cooking my chicken, I’ll start it at some point during the day so that the meat can be cooked by dinner time, and I can pick it off the bones after the meal.
When all of the meat is picked from the chicken bones, everything that’s left goes into the slow cooker: bones, skin, tough pieces of meat that won’t pass through the kids’ radar…all of it.
I add a few splashes of apple cider vinegar, fill it to the top with water, and turn it on medium-low for at least 10 hours.
The next day, I turn off the crockpot, let the crockpot chicken stock cool slightly, and strain it with a fine mesh sieve. Once it’s cooled, I’ll either store it in jars in the refrigerator, or I’ll pour it into resealable bags to freeze it flat (it takes up much less space that way!). You can also freeze chicken stock in jars – read all of my tips for freezing in jars without them breaking here.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK WITHOUT A CROCK POT
If you found this recipe for chicken stock but don’t have a slow cooker, that’s ok! Here’s the basic recipe for stovetop chicken stock.
Step 1: Place chicken carcass, vegetables, and any seasonings in a large stock pot. Fill with cold water, leaving room for boiling.
Step 2: Bring the water and stock ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Keep an eye on it so it does not bubble over.
Step 3: Once the liquid has reached a golden color, taste and add salt if desired. Remove chicken bones and vegetables and strain the liquid into storage containers.
HOW TO USE CROCKPOT CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE
When it comes to a nutritional powerhouse (that also makes food WAY yummy), we should aim to use it whenever possible. Besides making soup, try using chicken stock in place of water in these types of recipes too:
- One pot wonders like this Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Rice, as in this super simple Instant Pot Yellow Rice, or this Autumn Rice Pilaf
- Stews and chili, like White Chicken Chili
- Other grains like quinoa, couscous, and polenta
- Sauces or gravy
- Noodles or Ramen
- Steaming veggies as in this Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
- Cooking beans or lentils, like this Marinated Lentils Recipe
CHICKEN STOCL FAQS
What is the difference between chicken stock, chicken broth, and bone broth?
Chicken stock is the liquid that is made from the carcass of a chicken, including bones, innards, meat, and often vegetables. Like this chicken stock recipe.
Chicken broth is typically the liquid that results from cooking the meat, usually in water. It’s lighter than stock because it cooks for less time and usually doesn’t involve the bones.
Bone broth tends to be a trendy name for stock – like this recipe.
Is this slow cooker chicken stock recipe healthy?
Making homemade chicken stock draws the nutrients and minerals from chicken bones, cartilage, and marrow.
Calcium, magnesium, potassium, collagen, and gelatin are just a few of these minerals.
Gelatin allows the body to better use the proteins it consumes, making it an essential nutrient for us frugal foodies who don’t use copious amounts of meat in the meal plan.
Can you make chicken stock in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! If you’re short on time, make your chicken stock in the Instant Pot pressure cooker! Follow this recipe. Depending on how I cook my whole chickens, I tend to use the same appliance to make chicken stock, so if I make Instant Pot Whole Chickens, I’ll likely make Instant Pot chicken stock too.
MORE DIY KITCHEN STAPLE RECIPES
- All Purpose Slow Cooker Chicken
- How to Soak and Cook Dried Beans from Scratch
- Homemade Almond Milk
- DIY Homemade Lunch Meat
- How to Make Greek Yogurt
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
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Make easy homemade slow cooker chicken stock – it’s healthy, delicious, and frugal! Cross chicken stock off your grocery list. Once you start making it yourself, you’ll do it again and again because it’s so simple!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 hours
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 4 quarts 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- carcass, spine, skin, innards and bones from two whole chickens*
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (make it yourself)
- 4 quarts filtered water
- 1 onion, quartered (optional)
- 2 carrots, peeled & quartered (optional)
- 3 celery ribs, chopped (optional)
- 1 bunch parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients, except parsley, in a slow cooker. Cook on low for a full 24 hours for the most nutrient-dense stock. If you don’t have 24 hours, I recommend a minimum of 4 hours on high, or 10 hours on low.
- 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley (if using).
- Turn off the slow cooker and skim any particles that have floated to the top with a slotted spoon. Allow the chicken stock to cool completely.
- Strain chicken parts and store them in a freezer-safe bag for future stock. Discard the vegetables. If desired, use a fine mesh strainer to get any leftover bits out of the homemade stock.
Notes
* Recipe can be made with only one chicken; simply halve the rest of the ingredients.
- You can reuse the leftover bones for multiple batches of stock until they start to fall apart. I’ve found that I don’t like the flavor of the stock as much after 3 batches – the bones “cook” and that flavor comes through. Each subsequent batch will get lighter, but you’re still getting nutrients!
- Chicken stock can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for several months.
I have always been hesitant to make my own broths and stocks because I imagine you need organic, “clean” chicken. I am still mostly using store bought, “regular” chicken products. Any thoughts on how “clean” your chicken needs to be? We get rotisserie chicken a lot. Thanks!
If you get bone in organic chicken it should work great.
To increase the goodness of bone broth, I always do mine in the pressure cooker. It takes about 95 minutes to really break down those bone to give up their goodness. I have heard of slow cooking bone broth, but have heard it takes about 48 hours to really get all the goodness.
Do you use glass jars for the freezer when freezing the broth?
You can! I like to freeze stock in gallon bags, but it’s very do-able in jars!
I’ve been using the leftover turkey carcass at Thanksgiving to make stock thanks to you. I clean all the meat off and toss the bones in a stock pot with a couple carrots, celery, and onion. Cover with water. Add some salt and I like the flavor that a little thyme gives it. Then just let it simmer covered for 6-8 hours. I get about 1 1/2 gallons of stock. I freeze it in 2 cup bags and use to make rice or soup or a dozen other things.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the ease of making my own stock.
You’re so very welcome Jim!
Tiffany, any chance you have a video posted somewhere that we can see your broth process (cutting chicken, etc). That would be super helpful. I love your site and your recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I’m sorry I don’t Christine! I haven’t mastered video editing, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to sit and watch me wait for my chicken stock to finish, LOL!!
Hi Tiffany, just discovered your web site looking for info about degassing beans! I have since searched many other topics and enjoying it very much! Re stock – my sisters and I make ours all the time as did my Scottish Grandmother and Mother. Just a tip re animal based stock – after you finish cooking there will be melted animal fat … for those with a sensitive stomach eg stomach ulcer, the fat will play absolute havoc with your gut and aggravate any underlying condition. To avoid that, put stock in a large container, allow to cool and then refrigerate – this allows the fat to harden and you can remove before using or storage … yes, the stock will also solidify or rather form a jelly, but this makes it easier to handle if you want to put in in zip lock bags or plastic containers for freezing. Chicken fat does not go as rock hard like beef fat, more thick jelly (depending on how much fat is on the chicken – I use free range chicken frames and there is virtually no fat). You sort of gently scrap across the surface with a spoon to gather it up section by section. Hard fat, run a thin knife around the edge then score into quarters across the surface and you should be able to easily lift it off with a knife or even your fingers. Cheers from Australia!
Thank you.
I have a small problem concerning cooking broth in a slow cooker. I usually switch it on before I go to work and come back about 10 hours later (on certain days). For instance, yesterday I stuffed a cabbage with mince stuffing, some drumsticks, along with onions, carrots, turnip, celery, potatoes and some zucchini (all veg chopped). I filled the crockpot with enough water and put it on low. Everything was cooked well by the time I came back home. However, one thing which I am not keen about, is that it seems that the broth overcooked. Is this possible, or am I missing something? Thank you
Yes, stock can overcook! I’ve done that before in a slow cooker, but it usually doesn’t happen unless it’s cooked for well over 24 hours (like, 48 hours). Have you tried diluting the stock with water to a 50/50 ratio to see if that helps with the flavor?
Will try – thanks. I think that the main reason was that the stuffed cabbage was not covered with liquid by the time all of it cooked. So, the top of the mince was getting dry and darker. Next time, I will ensure that all the meat and veg is covered with the liquid.
I have another question please. I tend to be wary of cooking beans and pulses in the slow cooker as I have always been told to boil them well for a couple of minutes. Can you please advise? Thanks
I haven’t done pulses in the slow cooker, but I’ve done beans with great success!! Definitely recommend. 🙂
I’ll have to buy a slow cooker now!
About how long would this last in the fridge? In the freezer?
You have several months in the freezer Tiffany, and about 2-3 weeks or so in the fridge!
Sorry but I’m fairly new at this sc thing. A couple of questions.
How much water do you add? It states fill to top but slow cookers come in a variety of sizes. Eg I have a 5.5L if someone did this same thing in a 4L obviously the texture and flavor will be different. What size do you use?
Also your text before the recipe mentions cooking method with 4hrs on hi then 10 on med-low but the recipe box says 12hrs on low.
Sooo confused. I’d love to try this out.
I have a 6 quart slow cooker Allen, and the flavor might be stronger in a small one. You can dilute though when you go to cook with the stock. The cooking time is very flexible as well. I now cook for 24 hours on low, to really maximize the nutrients. If you only have 4 hours though, put it on high and you’ll still get great stock!
Question: My family and I recently started eating edamame in the pods. We love them!! Can these be added to the veggie broth? I keep googling, but can’t seem to find any references other than composting. Anyone tried this before?
What I Learned: I thought I knew all there was to know about chicken and vegetable broth so I can’t believe all the things I learned in this comment section, thank you!! I now plan to 1) re use bones, 2) try making hummus with the post broth veggies, 3) make a veggie puree soup with the leftover veggies and 4) add cider vinegar! Wow.
What I Do: I add all the same stuff everyone else has mentioned here and use the slow cooker for 24 hours or so – including corn cobs and corn water. I find that the broth is so strong that I have to use it as a concentrate. When a recipe calls for 2 cups of broth, I add 1 broth and 1 water. This works well for me because I freeze the broth in ice cube trays, so a concentrate saves room.
Salt: If you live near the ocean, try making your own salt! All you need to do is evaporate the water and you have salt. Use the sun, boil it, or put it in the oven every time you turn off the oven but it’s still warm.