Slow Cooker or Crockpot Chicken Stock

Chicken stock lends a robust flavor to all kinds of soups, and can be made inexpensively using the left-over carcass from a roast chicken. Many chicken stock recipes involve simmering a whole chicken, but growing up in Ireland we always used left-over "skeletons" for our stocks.

"Waste not, want not" was the motto of my childhood days, and no chicken carcass was cast into the rubbish bin before it yielded the nutritional goodness buried within its bones.

When I was young, stock simmering was done on the stove top in a large pot. Since coming to America I've discovered the wonders of a crock pot for creating delicious stock, and for cooking soups and stews.

When stock is slowly simmering over an open flame or electric burner, I never feel safe leaving the house. One of the glories of a crock pot is the ability to set it and forget it.

My roast chicken left overs spend a day in my crock pot before finally being discarded.

And so, to kick off my soup making recipe season, I thought the best place to start is with a good basic chicken stock.

Here's my recipe for slow cooker chicken stock.

Ingredients For Chicken Stock

Here's a quick list of what you'll need. Check the printable recipe at the bottom of this post for exact quantities.

• chicken carcass
• onion
• carrots
• celery stick
• black peppercorns
• parsley stalks
• fresh thyme
• bay leaves
• cold water
• pinch of salt

You can substitute some of these herbs if you wish. Sage or rosemary work great if you don't like thyme.

I use regular onion, but you could substitute shallots or red onions. Garlic cloves can also be added, but the flavor of the stock will be much stronger.

You can snap the bones of the chicken carcass if you wish. This exposes more of the deep marrow in the bones so that collagen and gelatin is released during the simmering process.

Cooking Directions For Crockpot Chicken Stock

• Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a large slow cooker. I use a 5-quart size. Make sure the water level is at least ½" below the top of the bowl.
• Set the crock pot on low. It will slowly heat. Allow the stock to simmer for 8 to 10 hours. If the liquid level goes down as the stock cooks, top it up with more water after 4 hours of cooking.
• Turn the heat off and allow the stock to cool slightly before passing it through a fine strainer. I remove the larger bones and vegetable pieces before straining the stock. Discard the left-over vegetables and chicken bones. If some solid pieces remain in the stock, strain it again. Passing the stock through a cheesecloth is the best way to remove small pieces of solids.
• Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 to 4 days before using or freeze it for up to 3 months.

And there you have it - simple, easy-to-make, budget-friendly chicken stock using this girl's best kitchen friend, her crock pot.

Storage of Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken stock should be allowed to cool before storing. It can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for upto 5 days. Mason jars work great for storing homemade chicken broth in the fridge.

It can be placed in the freezer and once in a sealed airtight container will keep for up to 9 months. You can freeze it in volumes that suit your cooking needs. Use ice cube trays to create small volume amounts. The cubes can be added to recipes as required. Measure out half and full cup measurements and then freeze.

Chicken bone broth is also suitable for pressure canning in jars, and will stay good for up to one year when the lid is well sealed.

Recipe Card for Chicken Broth

Here's the printable recipe.

As I share more and more of my soup recipes in the coming months, I'll link back to this basic recipe whenever I recommend chicken stock for a particular soup.

Here are some of my soup recipes where I use this chicken stock.

Potato and Leek Soup

Traditional Irish Potato Soup

Rutabaga and Carrot Soup

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Zucchini and Leek Soup

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