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Ever wonder how to make chicken broth? It’s so much easier than you think! All you need is a pile of chicken bones, a few veggie scraps, and water, and you’ll have about 3 quarts of rich, golden broth that tastes worlds better than anything from a carton. I’m sharing all three ways I make it: in the Instant Pot, in the slow cooker, and on the stovetop.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe
Once you make your own chicken broth, you’ll never want to buy it again!
- More flavor. Homemade broth is richer and more savory than store-bought, and it makes every soup and sauce taste better.
- You control what goes in. No fillers, no added sugar, and you decide how much salt to add.
- Budget-friendly and low waste. It’s made from bones and scraps you’d otherwise toss.
- Big batch, freezer-friendly. One batch makes about 3 quarts, so you can freeze it in small portions and pull it out whenever you need it.
My Favorite Shortcut: Rotisserie Chicken Broth
This recipe is really forgiving, so don’t stress about exact amounts. Whenever I buy a whole chicken, rotisserie style, I save the carcass, toss it into my Instant Pot with whatever veggie scraps I have hanging around, cover it with water, and pressure cook it. That’s it! The easiest, most flavorful homemade broth with minimal effort and practically no waste.
Once you’ve made it a few times, you’ll figure out the flavor you love and can play around from there.
Ingredients Needed for Chicken Broth
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Chicken bones: the star of the show and where most of the flavor comes from. More on which bones to use below.
- Onion, carrots and celery: the classic trio for a savory, well-rounded broth.
- Leeks (optional): add a mild, sweet onion flavor.
- Parsley sprigs: stems are perfect here. Herbs add a subtle flavor.
- Whole black peppercorns and a bay leaf: for gentle background flavor.
- Water: about 12 cups for a 6-quart Instant Pot. *Make sure you have enough water; too little will not make the end result you want.
- Sea salt: I add it at the end, to taste, so I can control it in whatever recipe I’m making.
What Chicken Bones to Use (Raw or Cooked?)
You can use either raw or cooked bones! Here are my favorite options:
- Roasted raw bones: For a deeper, roasted flavor, roast raw bones at 400°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly golden, before adding them to the pot.
- Cooked bones: Leftover carcasses from roasted or rotisserie chickens are my go-to. Keep a freezer bag going and add to it until you have enough for a batch.
- Raw bones: Uncooked chicken wings, backs, necks or feet all work. Wings and feet add extra collagen, which gives your broth that rich, slightly jiggly texture once it’s chilled.
Best Vegetables (and Ones to Skip)
The classic onion, carrot, and celery combo, plus leeks if you have them, are all of the veggies you need. You can also use the veggie scraps you have on hand, like onion ends and skins, carrot peels and celery tops.
A few vegetables are best left out, since they can make your broth taste off or turn cloudy:
- Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts (too sulfury)
- Leafy greens and zucchini
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes and turnips
Tips for the Best Chicken Broth
- Start a freezer scrap bag. Save bones from bone-in chicken in one freezer bag and onion, carrot and celery trimmings in another. When both are full, it’s broth day!
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar (optional). About 1 tablespoon helps pull more collagen from the bones.
- Strain twice. A fine mesh strainer, or one lined with cheesecloth, gives you a clear broth.
- Skim the fat, or don’t. Once chilled, the fat hardens on top and lifts right off. I sometimes leave a little for flavor.
- Salt at the end. Unsalted broth is easier to use in recipes, especially if you reduce it.
Chicken Broth vs. Chicken Stock: What’s the Difference?
The two are used interchangeably, but there’s a small difference. Chicken stock is made mostly from bones and simmered longer, so the collagen gives it a richer flavor and fuller body. Chicken broth is usually made with meatier parts and cooked for less time, so it’s lighter.
This recipe is really somewhere in between! Since it’s made with bones and a long cook time, it’s rich like a stock, and you can use it anywhere a recipe calls for broth or stock.
3 Ways to Make Chicken Broth
Pick the method that fits your schedule. The recipe card below has step-by-step instructions for each.
| Method | Cook time | Best for |
| Instant Pot | 45 minutes on high pressure, plus about 30 minutes to come up to pressure and 10 minutes natural release | Broth the same day |
| Slow cooker | 8 to 10 hours on low | Set it and forget it, overnight or while you work |
| Stovetop | At least 2 hours, and up to 4 for richer flavor | No special equipment needed |
How to Store and Freeze Chicken Broth
- Refrigerator: Let the broth cool, then store it in airtight containers for up to 4 days. After that, toss it. Reboiling won’t make older broth safe again.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. I love freezing it in silicone ice cube trays (the ones with lids) and moving the cubes to freezer bags, so I can grab just a little for sauces. Freezer-safe mason jars work too. Leave about an inch of space at the top for the broth to expand.
- To use: Thaw overnight in the fridge, or drop frozen cubes right into a hot pan or pot.
How to Make Turkey Stock
Yes, this recipe works for turkey too! Simply swap the chicken bones for turkey bones. It’s the perfect way to use your Thanksgiving turkey carcass.
Ways to Use Your Homemade Chicken Broth
Homemade chicken broth is the ultimate ingredient to keep on hand. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
- Curry Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
- Cooking rice or quinoa for extra flavor, or simply warmed up in a mug to sip on a cold day
Looking for more cozy recipes? Browse all of my soups and stews, or grab my Soup Season E-Book!
FAQ’s
Either works! Cooked bones from a roasted or rotisserie chicken are the easiest. Raw chicken pieces like wings, backs, necks and feet add extra collagen, and roasting raw bones first gives a deeper flavor.
Store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Yes, as long as the jars are labeled freezer-safe, like wide-mouth Ball mason jars. Leave about an inch of space at the top so the broth has room to expand.
That’s a great sign! The collagen from the bones turns into gelatin as it chills. It melts back into liquid as soon as you warm it up.
Watch the video here:
How To Make Chicken Broth (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 2 lb. chicken bones*
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 handful parsley sprigs
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup roughly chopped leeks optional
- 12 cups water*
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
How to Make it in the Instant Pot:
- Add all ingredients to your pressure cooker.*
- Cover and seal the . Using the manual timer, set the to high for 45 minutes. Note: it will take time to come up to pressure with all that water!
- Once done, use natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Shut off pressure cooker. Carefully release any remaining steam and uncover.
- Let the broth cool until it is easier to handle, and pour broth through a fine mesh strainer. You may want to strain twice!
- Pour broth into storage containers and let cool completely before covering. Broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the broth is unused after 5 days bring it to a boil before using. You can also add salt here to taste, before storing, or add as using.
How to Make it in the Slow Cooker:
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cover with just enough water to cover the vegetables and bones (this will vary depending on the size of your slow cooker).
- Set it to low and cook for 8 to 10 hours.
- Let the broth cool until it is easier to handle, and pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer. You may want to strain twice!
- Pour broth into storage containers and let cool completely before covering. Broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the broth is unused after 5 days bring it to a boil before using. You can also add salt here to taste, before storing, or add as using.
How to Make it in on the Stove:
- Combine all ingredients in a very large stock pot and cover with just enough water to cover the vegetables and bones (this will vary depending on the size of your slow cooker).
- Bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat and then lower the heat to let the liquid simmer, continuing to cook, adding more water to keep the bones and veggies covered, for at least 2 hours. The longer you simmer the better.
- Let the broth cool until it is easier to handle, and pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer. You may want to strain twice!
- Pour broth into storage containers and let cool completely before covering. Broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the broth is unused after 5 days bring it to a boil before using. You can also add salt here to taste, before storing, or add as using.
Notes
- Bones: 2 lb. is roughly the carcasses from 3 whole chickens. I save them in the freezer until I have enough!
- Water: This recipe is written for a 6-quart Instant Pot. If yours is smaller, halve the recipe.
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Turkey stock: Swap the chicken bones for turkey bones.
- Copy updated October 2026
What do you mean by saving onions and carrots and celery scraps??
Whenever I use onions, carrots, and celery — I save the scraps I will throw out for later use in making broth!
Can it be frozen? Would you recommend using freezer bags or glass jars?
Yes! Either work, as long as the jars say they are freezer safe, such as Ball mason jars.
I have a maybe silly question. Do the bones need to be raw or cooked?
So great to have chicken broth on hand!
So easy!!!
You are totally inspiring me to make my own!