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Homemade Low Sodium Chicken Stock

You’ll never want to go back to store-bought after making this aromatic broth. This recipe freezes very well (freeze in small portions to make it easier to thaw).
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

2 lb whole chicken
16 cups water
2 onion(s), skin on, ends removed
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 carrot(s), sliced
¼ tsp allspice, whole
¼ tsp cloves, whole
¼ tsp hot red chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 bay leaves

Food Safety

Before you start, wash all surfaces and your hands with soap and warm water, and remember to wash your hands, utensils and cutting boards after they touch raw meat or eggs. Avoid cross-contamination by using a different cutting board for your meat and other ingredients. Make sure you’re cooking to safe temperatures and chilling any leftovers within two hours. For more food safety tips, visit our Food Safety at Home Section.

Steps

  1. Remove neck and giblets from chicken cavity if they are there.

  2. In a large soup pot with lid, place chicken in 4 quarts (4 L) cold water. Add rest of ingredients, including the whole onions (ends removed) and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours. Adjust the heat so that the stock boils gently during this time – a rapid boil creates cloudier broth.

  3. Remove from the heat and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  4. Strain liquid into a large bowl or second pot. Discard vegetables, seasonings, bones and chicken skin. Put the meat in a shallow container and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for up to 2 days or put in container(s) and freeze.

  5. Before using discard the fat that accumulates on top.

Helpful Tip

Leaving the skin on the onions gives the broth a nice colour.

The nutrient analysis includes skin and meat from whole chicken. The skin won’t be consumed so nutrient analysis over-estimates fat and some nutrients.

Nutrition Info

Per 275 g serving Amount
Calories120
Protein10 g
Fat8 g
Saturated Fat2 g
Carbohydrate3 g
Fibre1 g
Sugar1 g
Cholesterol35 mg
Sodium50 mg
Per 275 g serving % Daily Value
Potassium4
Calcium2
Iron4
Vitamin A2
Vitamin C4
Vitamin B612
Vitamin B128
Folate2
Zinc8

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