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
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 1/2″ 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.
- 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.
Here’s the printable recipe.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken carcass remainder of chicken roast
- 1 medium onion cut in quarters
- 2 medium carrots cut in 2 inch chunks
- 1 stalk celery sliced
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 8 stalks parsley stalks
- 2 sprigs thyme fresh
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 10 cups cold water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a large slow cooker. Make sure the water level is at least 1/2″ 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. Remove the larger bones and vegetable pieces before straining the stock. Discard the left-over vegetables and chicken bones.
- Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 to 4 days before using or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
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
Check out my complete recipe list here.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
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Hi Mairead, A good use for that crockpot for sure, I’m hoping there’s a pot pie for dinner,
Cheers,
Brian.
The crock pot crack pot strikes again, Brian.
All the best,
Mairéad
Well now, I have used the carcass as you do, but never in a crockpot! Duh, don’t know why! Thanks for sharing your broth recipe. Looking forward to your soup recipes now that soup season has begun!
Love my crock pot for making broth. I’ll start sharing my soup recipes later this week.
Thanks for stopping by,
Mairéad
Gotta love a crock pot! 🙂 Can’t wait to start making the chili and the taco soup we love so much!
Cheryl – Chili and taco soup may not be Irish, but I love them all the same. A little shake of hot sauce, and these comfort foods warm the cockles of the heart.
All the best,
Mairéad
What a great way to use up a chicken carcass. Love this bone broth.
Hi Nora – This is how my mother and her mother before her made chicken stock. People go crazy for bone broth nowadays, but our predecessors knew how to use everything up and create a healthy broth into the bargain.
Best wishes,
Mairéad