Having homemade chicken stock on hand is the culinary equivalent of having money in the bank. It elevates everything from soups to braises to stir fries and rice dishes. And this one is infused with Asian flavors, like ginger and scallions, lending a pop of umami richness to any recipe calling for chicken stock. Let me show you how easy it is to make this liquid gold for yourself!
Start with a Whole Chicken
Yes, you could buy chicken already cut into parts. But they charge you a premium for that convenience, and you want all of the skin and bones for the best stock. It’s very easy to break down the bird yourself. A little practice and you’ll be a pro in no time!
Once you’ve made the cut between the drumstick and the body, you can grab the leg and pull it down and then up out of the socket. That’s where you cut through to remove the leg, and repeat the process on the other side.
Now you’ll have 5 parts-the two legs, the two breasts, and the carcass with the wings attached.
Making Chicken Stock
Now that the bird is prepped, it’s time to turn it into stock.
At this point I remove the breasts and legs and reserving them for something else. (Try shredding the meat and using it in Lemongrass Noodle Bowls) Then I continue to simmer the chicken stock, covered, for three to four hours. The longer it simmers, the more concentrated the flavor. When it’s done it will yield about 3 quarts of stock. Strain and refrigerate it and use within a couple days. Or freeze it to last for months.
And here comes the fun part! Now that you have this liquid gold, what are you going to do with it? So glad you asked! Chicken stock made from scratch is one of the things that separates restaurant cooking from home cooking-the boxed and canned stuff just can’t compare. Here are just a few a dishes you can knock into the stratosphere with your homemade chicken stock:
I hope that once you see how easy it is to make chicken stock from scratch it will become a regular part of your cooking life. Take a moment to tell me what you think of this recipe. Comment and rate it, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
Chicken Stock
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-6 hours
- Total Time: 19 minute
- Yield: 3 quarts 1x
- Category: soup
- Cuisine: Pan-Asian
Ingredients
- one 4 lb whole chicken
- 2 ounces ginger washed and smashed
- 1 bunch scallions (about 6 stems)
- 1 large onion, washed and cut in half
- 6 cloves whole garlic smashed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 16 cups cold water
Instructions
- Grab the chicken by the drumstick, and pull the leg outward from the body until the skin is stretched taut. Make a shallow cut through the skin between the leg and the body.
- Grab the leg in one hand and twist it downward first and then upward, away from the body, until the ball joint pops out of the socket.
- Use your knife to remove the leg by cutting through the joint you just exposed. Repeat this process with the second leg.
- Cut the breasts off of the chicken by first making a slice down the center of the bird. Next carve off one breast by running the knife down from where the center cut ends to the right side of the bird towards the legs. Finally peel the breast off by slicing off the side that is still attached to the bird. Do the same for the other breast.
- Put all the ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring it to a simmer over high heat, and then immediately turn down the heat to medium low.
- Cover with a lid, and let the broth simmer for an hour, occasionally skimming impurities from the surface. Remove the chicken breasts and the chicken legs and reserve for another purpose.
- Continue simmering for an additional 3 to 4 hours—the longer you simmer, the more concentrated the flavors. Turn off the heat and strain the stock.
- Pour the broth into a couple of bowls or heat proof containers so it cools faster.
- Once the broth is cooled, cover the containers and store them in the fridge or freezer for future use.
Notes
*if you prefer a more concentrated stock, you can leave the pot uncovered the last hour and you will yield about 2 quarts.
*chicken broth is full of meat proteins which tend to spoil easily. Use the broth within a couple of days or put it into the freezer and use it within 6 months.
Keywords: chicken stock, soup, asian chicken stock, ginger, broth
