Basic Chicken Stock

By Jacques Pepin

Basic Chicken Stock
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Rating
4(414)
Comments
Read comments

The difference between a good soup and a great soup is the stock, and if you've never made your own, you're really missing out. This recipe from the legendary Jacques Pépin takes a few hours, but very little effort, and you'll never go back to those cardboard cartons of over-salted stock again. It also freezes beautifully.

Featured in: Food; Soup, Beautiful Soup

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:13 cups
  • 3pounds chicken bones (neck, backs and gizzards, skinless or with as little skin as possible)
  • 6quarts lukewarm water
  • 1tablespoon herbes de Provence (see note)
  • 1large onion, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
  • 12whole cloves
  • 1teaspoon celery seed
  • 1tablespoon dark soy sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

11 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 51 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the bones and the water in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 30 minutes. Most of the fat and impurities will come to the surface during this time; skim off and discard as much of them as you can.

  2. Step 2

    Add the remainder of the ingredients, return the liquid to a boil and boil gently for 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or through a colander lined with a dampened cloth kitchen towel or dampened paper towels.

  3. Step 3

    Allow the stock to cool. Then remove the surface fat and freeze the stock in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Use as needed.

Tip
  • If you do not have herbes de Provence, substitute equal amounts of at least 3 of the following: dried marjoram, thyme, summer savory, sage, fennel, basil, rosemary and lavender.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
414 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Brad

Not all the the butchers near me sell carcasses, but I've been getting great results using chicken feet. They produce a rich, gelatinous stock that's good in soup, or for making Bolognese and other recipes. No more canned broth for me.

judy dyer

I make stock similar to this but first I bake/brown the chicken bones, necks, etc. in the oven. very flavorful.

Jill

Easy to make, and is a great way to use the entire chicken and not throw out the bones. Using herbes de Provence is a must. Try not to substitute if you can.

Joe Lucca

You start with 24 cups of water and after 2.5 hours of slow boiling you get a yeild of 13 cups. No way. Still love you though Jacques.

Martha in Louiisville CO

Best stock recipe I have ever made. Followed directions exactly.

Frank

I was taught to roast the bones of any stock first to bring out the golden color and flavor inside the bone marrow. Then add the roasted chicken, beef or pork bones into cold water and reduce on a low simmer so the any leftover meat on the bones does not cloud the consume. This method has never failed me

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.