Homemade Chicken Stock

This is a great recipe to have in the back pocket to really make the most out of a whole chicken and make really delicious, healthy, and economical meals.

Ingredients:

-chicken bones OR soup chicken (soup chicken will give you the necessary meat for a chicken noodle soup, or for our creamy chicken and wild rice soup (as well as this chicken stock)

-simmer blend, peppercorns

-salt (to taste)

-water, 8 cups

-2 celery stalks, 1/2 inch chopped

-1 carrot 1/2 inch chopped

-onion, 1 medium quartered

Method:

1. Add the chicken bones, spices, salt, celery, carrots, onions, and water to a stock pot.

PRO-TIP: if using a soup chicken, roast the chicken at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, or until meat is no longer pink. Let rest and cool, then pick the meat off the bones and use the bones for Step 1 through 4. The picked off meat can then be used for chicken noodle soup or other soups right away, or can be frozen and used later. We do not recommend you eat the picked off meat as a main course as it will be tough, but will soften and develop flavour when added to a soup.

2. Cover the pot, simmer on low-medium heat for 2 hours, or until the stock reaches the desired taste. 

PRO-TIP: the longer you leave the stock to simmer, the more nutrients you will leach out of the chicken bones, and the more flavour you will develop in the stock. Simmering for an additional amount of time without the lid will help to thicken the stock a little more.

3. Strain the stock through a fine colander, sieve, or cheese cloth, depending on how much clarity and particulate matter you want to your stock. A colander will remove the veg and large bones- the sieve or cheese cloth will remove any dried herb flakes and smaller, softer pieces of bones and chicken joints. 

4. Use immediately for the base of a soup, like chicken noodle, or freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to a year.