Every good soup on this site started with a pot of this on the stove. Martha Stewart’s Basic Chicken Stock is 5 pounds of chicken parts simmered low with carrots, celery, onions, and peppercorns for up to 4 hours until you have about 2 quarts of golden homemade stock that makes the boxed stuff taste like water.
Ten minutes of prep and then the stove does the rest. This Martha Stewart chicken stock recipe is the kind of thing you put on a Sunday afternoon and forget about while the house fills up with that smell.
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Two Hours Of Doing Nothing
That is really what this recipe is. You put chicken parts in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, skim the foam, add vegetables, and turn the heat down.
Martha says simmer for at least an hour and a half but up to four hours. I usually land around two and a half hours because that is when the color looks right and my patience runs out.
Basic Chicken Stock Ingredients
- 5 pounds assorted chicken parts (backs, necks, legs, and wings), rinsed
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch lengths
- 2 celery stalks, chopped into 2-inch lengths
- 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
How To Make Martha Stewart Basic Chicken Stock
- Start the chicken: Put the chicken parts in a large stockpot with about 3 inches of room above them. An 8-quart pot works well. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 3 quarts. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim the fat and foam off the top with a ladle.
- Add the vegetables: Drop in the carrots, celery, onions, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Turn the heat down to a bare simmer where bubbles just barely break the surface.
- Simmer: Cook for at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 4 hours, skimming frequently.
- Strain: Pour the stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Do not press on the solids. Throw everything in the sieve away.
- Cool and defat: Skim off the fat if using right away. Or let the stock cool completely, transfer to containers, and refrigerate at least 8 hours. The fat will harden on top and you can lift it off in one piece before using or freezing.
Why Martha Boils The Chicken Alone First
Most stock recipes say dump everything in at once but Martha does not. She boils the chicken parts first, skims the foam, and then adds the vegetables after the liquid is clean.
That extra step is why her stock comes out clear instead of cloudy. I skipped it once to save time and the stock looked murky and tasted flat.
What Chicken Parts Work Best
Backs, necks, and wings are the best because they are bony and full of collagen. That is what makes the stock gel when it cools, and gel means body and richness when you heat it up again.
You can use leg quarters or a whole chicken too but pull the meat off early before it overcooks. I ask my butcher for a bag of backs and necks because they are usually cheap or sometimes free.
How To Freeze It So You Always Have Some
I pour cooled stock into 2-cup portions in freezer bags and lay them flat so they stack once frozen. It keeps for up to 3 months and every time a recipe says “add broth” I just grab a bag.
Leave half an inch of space at the top of whatever container you use because liquid expands when it freezes. Martha mentions this and I cracked a jar before I started listening.
FAQs
- What is the difference between stock and broth? Stock is made from bones and has a richer, more gelatinous body. Broth is made from meat and is lighter. You can use them interchangeably in most recipes but stock gives soups and sauces more depth.
- Can I use a rotisserie chicken carcass? Yes but the bones are smaller and already cooked so the stock will be lighter. I add a few extra wings or a neck to boost the flavor if that is all I have.
- Why is my stock cloudy? You probably boiled it too hard. Stock needs a bare simmer, not a rolling boil. Boiling emulsifies the fat into the liquid and makes it murky. Keep it low and skim often.
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Nutrition Facts
(1 serving, serves 8)
- Calories: 30
- Total Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Sodium: 45mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 2g
- Protein: 3g
Martha Stewart Basic Chicken Stock Recipe
Description
Every good soup on this site started with a pot of this on the stove. Martha Stewart’s Basic Chicken Stock is 5 pounds of chicken parts simmered low with carrots, celery, onions, and peppercorns for up to 4 hours until you have about 2 quarts of golden homemade stock that makes the boxed stuff taste like water.
Ten minutes of prep and then the stove does the rest. This Martha Stewart chicken stock recipe is the kind of thing you put on a Sunday afternoon and forget about while the house fills up with that smell. I freeze it in 2-cup portions and pull one out every time a recipe calls for broth.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start the chicken: Put the chicken parts in a large stockpot with about 3 inches of room above them. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 3 quarts. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim the fat and foam off the top with a ladle.
- Add the vegetables: Drop in the carrots, celery, onions, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Turn the heat down to a bare simmer where bubbles just barely break the surface.
- Simmer: Cook for at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 4 hours, skimming frequently.
- Strain: Pour the stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Do not press on the solids. Throw everything in the sieve away.
- Cool and defat: Skim off the fat if using right away. Or let the stock cool completely, transfer to containers, and refrigerate at least 8 hours. The fat will harden on top and you can lift it off in one piece.
Notes
- Boil the chicken alone first: Skim the foam before adding vegetables. This is why the stock comes out clear instead of cloudy.
- Use bony parts: Backs, necks, and wings give you the most collagen and the richest stock.
- Keep it at a bare simmer: A rolling boil makes the stock cloudy and flat. Bubbles should just barely break the surface.