How to make Chicken stock at home

Chicken stock is a rich and flavorful liquid left after boiling chicken pieces in water along with celery, bay leaves, pepper etc. Chicken Stock can be used as a base for soups and also can be added to any dishes for enhancing the “chicken taste”.

There are mainly 2 types of chicken stock. One is almost “white” and the other one is “brown”. For the brown stock, we are using roasted chicken pieces. And for the white stock, we are using raw pieces.

From my experience, brown stock is tastier, richer and better. But sometimes, we need white or light colour stock for making white stews, sauces etc.

You can use chicken pieces, wings, backs, necks etc for preparing chicken stock. Each time you purchase chicken, you can remove these parts and freeze them until you have enough to make stock. 

Brown Chicken stock

Leftover chicken pieces, wings, backs and necks

Celery leaves         -  2-3 stalks

Chopped Onion     - 1

Bay leaves ( Karukayila) optional

Pepper powder -  ½ tsp or as per your taste

Hot water

Salt

Oil – 1 tsp

Method:-

Clean and drain the chicken pieces well.

Mix it with 1 tsp oil and chopped onion in a large non stick pan and then heat the pan.

Roast the chicken for 3 minutes. Stir continuously.

Then pour hot water just to cover the chicken pieces.

Add celery leaves, bay leaves, pepper powder and salt to it.

When it starts to boil, immediately simmer the heat, keeping the pan uncovered.

It will take 45 min to 1 hour time to get a medium concentrated chicken stock. Stir in between.

It you want to make it more concentrated, you can boil for some more time.

Let it cool at room temperature.

Remove the pieces and strain the stock.

Freeze them and store in the freezer itself.

You can use them up to 2 months.

You can make cubes of chicken stock by pouring it in ice cube trays. Then, it will be easy for you to use the required number of stock cubes at any time without disturbing the entire stock.

For the White Stock

Preparing white chicken stock is simple. Boil chicken pieces , necks, wings, backs etc in water (just to cover the chicken pieces) along with celery leaves, pepper powder, bay leaves and salt to taste.

Let it cool at room temperature.

Freeze and store the stock as we discussed earlier.