Dr. Axe > Recipes > Side Dishes & Soups > Gluten-Free

Chicken Bone Broth Recipe

Name: Chicken Bone Broth Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 48 h
Total time: 48 h
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 pounds chicken necks/feet/wings (you can also use the carcass and bones from a whole chicken — do not use the meat); 3 carrots, chopped; 3 celery stalks, chopped; 2 medium onions, peel on, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered; 4 garlic cloves, peel on and smashed; 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt; 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns; 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 bay leaves; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 5–6 sprigs parsley; 1 teaspoon oregano; 18–20 cups cold water

April 24, 2022 by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

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Bone broth is one of the most healing foods you can consume, including popular chicken bone broth. Rich in nutrients like collagen, gelatin and glycine, chicken bone broth can help to protect and heal your gut lining, boost skin health and improve joint function.

Are the benefits of chicken bone broth from your local grocery store the same? For starters, you have no idea exactly how that broth was made. One of the keys to a health-boosting bone broth is the long cooking time (at least 24 hours), because this infuses it with all of the beneficial nutrients. Another problem with many store-bought broths and stocks is their inclusion of some of the worst ingredients and chemicals around — like MSG.

To reap the awesome benefits of chicken broth, you should try this easy-to-make healing recipe for your digestive system and more today!

What Is the Difference Between Bone Broth and Stock?

Chicken bone broth and chicken stock … are they just two different names for the same thing? Broth, bone broth and stock are similar yet notably different. Broth is typically created using meat, vegetables and herbs. Stock includes vegetables and herbs too, but it also includes animal bones which often have meat attached. While broth is only cooked for 45 minutes to two hours, stock is usually cooked for at least four to six hours.

So what is the difference between bone broth and stock? Bone broth and stock are basically the same, but the cooking time is what differentiates the two. Bone broth takes the upmost claim to flavor and nutrition fame with the inclusion of bones like stock, but it gets cooked for a much longer period of time — typically 24 hours at the least (and often significantly longer).

There’s nothing like homemade chicken bone broth, but if you don’t have the time to make it, there are high-quality protein powders made from chicken bone broth on the market today so you don’t have to miss out on chicken bone broth health benefits.

Which Is Better: Chicken Bone Broth or Beef Bone Broth?

Let’s start off by saying choosing beef bone broth vs. chicken broth is often a matter of personal preference. Some people just prefer the taste of one meat broth over another. Chicken bone broth is often described as having a lighter flavor, while beef bone broth has a richer taste.

The health benefits of beef and chicken bone broth are very similar. Both bone broths are easy for the body to digest and soothing to the digestive system. They’re also both consumed by many people to boost skin and joint health. Either broth can be used on a bone broth fast.

It can be advantageous to cook beef bone broth on the longer side of the 24 to 48 hour spectrum since beef bones are thicker than chicken bones. In general, I don’t recommend beef or chicken bone broth instant pot recipes because they’re cooked at a higher temperature for less time.

Recipe Nutrition Facts

The exact nutrition content of this chicken bone broth recipe will vary depending on a number of factors, including the exact ingredients used, the length of cooking time and how much fat is skimmed off the top. In general, chicken bone broth nutrition is low in calories, fat and carbs, which makes sense because the chicken parts and vegetables are all removed at the end.

In terms of sodium: you are in control of how much salt you put in it, but for this recipe, I recommend about a teaspoon of high-quality pink Himalayan sea salt.

There are several variations on making chicken broth (including instant pot chicken bone broth, chicken feet bone broth or a whole chicken bone broth recipe). As I indicate in this recipe, you can use various chicken parts, or you can use an entire chicken. Either way, I would not reduce the cooking time.

How to Make Chicken Bone Broth

How do you make stock from chicken bones? It’s really not hard at all! This chicken bone broth slow cooker recipe basically entails putting all of the ingredients into the slow cooker (or stock pot) and letting it cook for hours. How to make chicken broth from bones is really that easy.

By opting for organic ingredients, you can easily make this an organic chicken bone broth. I especially recommend buying organic free-range chicken to avoid hormones and antibiotics.

Your final product can be sipped on as a delicious chicken bone broth soup, or you can add it to all kinds of other recipes from soups and stews to meat and veggies and more!

Start by grabbing and preparing all of the necessary ingredients.

Then place all ingredients in a 10-quart capacity slow cooker. You can start with the chicken.

Add in the veggies. Add the water. For the stovetop version, place all into a large stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently.

Simmer for 24–48 hours, skimming fat occasionally. This low and long cooking time increases the chicken bone broth benefits as there is lots of time for the ingredients to release their goodness into the broth.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Discard solids.

Strain remainder in a bowl through a colander. Discard any small bits that remain in the colander.

Let broth cool to room temperature, cover and chill.

Use your chicken bone broth within a week or freeze up to three months.