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Homemade Chicken Stock (Slow Cooker)

Nothing beats the flavour of homemade chicken stock (chicken broth), and I’ve opted to use the slow cooker. This easy slow cooker chicken stock recipe takes minutes to assemble, then you simply turn it on and leave it bubbling away while you get on with the rest of your day.

A jug of homemade chicken stock with fresh thyme, garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves set alongside.

Nothing goes to waste in my kitchen. So when I was deboning chicken thighs the other day, rather than throw them into the food recycling, I decided to make stock with them. However, I did not have time to hang around, so opted to use my slow cooker instead.

To my slow cooker chicken broth, I’ve added fresh onion, celery, carrots and garlic. I’ve also used the herbs you would typically find in a bouquet garni – thyme, parsley and bay. But rather than tie everything up, I just added them to the pot.

Now that I’ve made my chicken stock in the slow cooker, there’s no going back. No standing over the stove, checking water levels, just switch it on and leave it. However, it can also be made on the stovetop, and I include instructions on how to do that later in the post.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Homemade chicken stock is fresh flavoured and tastes better than store bought stock cubes.
  • There’s no salt or preservatives in a homemade chicken stock, just fresh, raw ingredients.
  • Quick to prepare just place everything into the slow cooker, and leave it to bubble away while you get on with your day.
  • A great way to use up leftovers as this chicken stock was made with chicken thigh bones that would otherwise have ended up being discarded, and a couple of veggies I had in the fridge.
  • Easy to freeze so a great way to store homemade chicken stock to have ready any time you need it.

Recipe ingredients

Individual chicken stock recipe ingredients.
  • Chicken – in this recipe I use raw chicken bones which were leftover from deboning a lot of chicken thighs.
  • Vegetables: I use a combination of onion, carrot and celery in the stock.
  • Fresh herbs: for flavor I use a couple of crushed garlic cloves, sprigs of fresh thyme, stalks of parsley and a bay leaf.
  • Pepper: I add just 5 whole black peppercorns to season and flavour the stock.

How to make chicken stock in slow cooker

A slow cooked bowl filled with chicken bones, chopped onion, celery and carrot with added garlic, bay leaves, thyme and parsley.
  • Place all the ingredients into the bowl of your slow cooker and add approximately 2 litres of cold water (enough to cover all the vegetables).
  • Put the lid on and turn the slow cooker to LOW. Cook for 8 hours.
A slow cooker filled with cooked and cooled unstrained chicken stock.
  • Turn the slow cooker off and leave the stock to sit overnight which will intensify the flavours.
A sieve set over a bowl with chicken stock draining into the bowl.
  • Place a sieve over a large bowl or jug and pour the stock and all the bones and vegetables into the sieve.
  • Leave to drain for an hour so you get as much stock as possible drained off.
  • Discard the vegetables and bones, and pour the chicken stock into containers, and store until you are ready to use.
  • This recipe will give roughly 1to 1 1/2 litres of chicken stock.

How to make chicken stock on stove top

I’ve opted to make chicken stock using my slow cooker as it means I don’t need to stand over it. However, you can make it on the stove top.

  • Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
  • Put on the lid and bring to a boil.
  • Turn the heat down to low and simmer gently for 3-4 hours.
  • Then finish and strain the stock as detailed above.
A jug of homemade chicken stock with fresh thyme, garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves set alongside.

Recipe variations

  • Chicken – I used the raw chicken bones I had left over from de-boning chicken thighs. You could also use a raw chicken carcass, chicken wings or bone-in chicken thighs. You can used a cooked chicken carcass, however, I don’t think you get the same rich chicken flavour as you do with raw chicken.
  • Vegetables – A leek is a great addition to chicken stock, so add some if you have it.
  • Fresh herbs – I used a combination of thyme, parsley and bay leaves, but you can add in other fresh herbs depending on what you plan to use the stock for, and the flavours you are pairing it with. For example basil and oregano would be great additions for Italian dishes.
  • Aromatics – this recipe is easily adapted to include other aromatics. For example, add some fresh ginger and chilli, along with some star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, and you have a great chicken stock for using in Chinese inspired dishes.

How to use chicken stock

Having good quality chicken stock in your freezer is great for adding to a variety of different dishes. I use homemade stock in soups and stews. It’s a must when I’m making a Homemade Chicken Jus, or to add to my Christmas Turkey Gravy.

Good quality, homemade chicken stock is a great addition to my One Pot Spring Chicken, or add a few extra aromatics, like ginger and chilli, in my Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup.

A jug of homemade chicken stock with fresh thyme, garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves set alongside.

Useful hints and tips

  1. Allow the stock to sit overnight, this allows the flavours to intensify, resulting in a better flavoured stock.
  2. Leave the stock to sit and drain as you want to get as much stock as you can out of the chicken, vegetables and herbs.
  3. Do not add salt to stock! I never add salt to any homemade stock I’m making, as I’m not always sure what I’ll be using it for. If you’re going to be reducing it down, eg in a sauce, it will only become more salty as the stock reduces. Instead I prefer to add stock to to the dish I’m preparing and then add the salt depending on what that dish is.
  4. For a more intense flavour you can boiling the stock down to reduce the amount of water diluting the stock.
  5. Allergy advice: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

FAQs

How to store chicken stock?

Store the stock in any size of container. I usually store stock in 450ml/1/2 pint bags. You can store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze chicken stock?

Yes, chicken stock is great to freeze. Portion the cooled stock into containers or Ziploc bags. You could also store stock in ice cube trays if you use really small amounts. Then place in the freezer and use within 6 months.

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Pinnable image with recipe title and a jug of homemade chicken stock with fresh thyme, garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves set alongside.

Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe then try some of my favourite homemade stocks and sauce recipes:

A jug of homemade chicken stock with fresh thyme, garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves set alongside.

Homemade Chicken Stock (Slow Cooker)

Homemade chicken stock (chicken broth), made in the slow cooker, with raw chicken bones, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a few fresh herbs. Simply switch it on a let it simmer away.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Resting Time: 12 hours
Servings: 1 litre
Calories: 89kcal

Equipment

  • chopping board
  • Sharp kitchen knife
  • Measuring jug
  • Slow cooker
  • Storage containers or Ziploc freezer bags

Ingredients

  • 1 kg raw chicken bones (or use chicken wings, bone in chicken thighs)
  • 1 onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
  • 1 stalk celery (roughly chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 handful parsley leaves and stalks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 2 ltrs water

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients into the bowl of your slow cooker and add approximately 2 litres of cold water (enough to cover all the vegetables).
  • Put the lid on and turn the slow cooker to LOW. Cook for 8 hours.
  • Turn the slow cooker off and leave the stock to sit overnight which will intensify the flavours.
  • Place a sieve over a large bowl or jug and pour the stock and all the bones and vegetables into the sieve.
  • Leave to drain for an hour so you get as much stock as possible drained off.
  • Discard the vegetables and bones, and pour the chicken stock into containers until you are ready to use.
  • This recipe will give roughly 1 litre of chicken stock.

Notes

  • A leek is a great addition to chicken stock, so add some if you have it.
  • I used the raw chicken bones I had left over from de-boning chicken thighs. You could also use a raw chicken carcass, chicken wings or bone-in chicken thighs.
  • I don’t add any salt to chicken stock, as there are times when I will want to reduce the stock to make a sauce or jus. If the stock contains salt, the saltiness will only intensify when reduced, becoming too salty.
  • For a more intense flavour you can boiling the stock down to reduce the amount of water diluting the stock.
  • Store the stock in any size of container. I usually store stock in 450ml/1/2 pint bags. However, you could also store stock in ice cube trays if you use really small amounts.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Chicken Stock (Slow Cooker)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 89 Calories from Fat 5
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.5g1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.04g
Sodium 182mg8%
Potassium 525mg15%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 10814IU216%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 149mg15%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Broth, Sauce, Stock
Keyword : chicken stock slow cooker, easy slow cooker chicken stock, homemade chicken stock, slow cooker chicken broth, slow cooker chicken stock
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Recipe Rating




5 from 3 votes

Janice

Friday 18th of October 2024

I can never be bothered to boil up chicken for stock, but this was so easy to make in my slow cooker! Thanks for the recipe.

Lesley

Tuesday 22nd of October 2024

Thank you Janice, I know what you mean. I far rather using my slow cooker to make stock, you can just pile it all in then forget about it.

Cat

Wednesday 16th of October 2024

Homemade chicken stock is always superior and this was fantastic.

Lesley

Tuesday 22nd of October 2024

Thank you Cat, I totally agree, you can't beat a homemade stock.

Chloe

Saturday 12th of October 2024

You're right, you really can't beat a homemade chicken stock - leaving it to sit overnight is such a great trick too!

Lesley

Monday 14th of October 2024

Thank you Chloe, I always leave stock to sit, it really does allow the flavours to intensify.

5 from 3 votes