Make your own Homemade Chicken Broth with this easy, step-by-step recipe. With just a few ingredients like a rotisserie chicken, veggies, herbs, and spices; you’ll have a cozy batch of the most fresh and flavor-loaded chicken broth to use in a variety of everyday cooking. This chicken broth recipe is super fragrant, extra delicious, and so much better than store-bought! Freezing notes are provided, too!

homemade chicken broth in glass jars

The month of October is one of my favorites, y’all. It’s getting a bit cooler, my dutch oven pots are heavy in rotation, cooking up a storm, and the holidays are near. Speaking of cooking up a storm, this recipe right here couldn’t be more timely. I can’t tell you just how much I adore this homemade chicken broth recipe. It’s been in my drafts for a hot minute, and I’m thrilled to unleash it!

chicken broth in glass jars

Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

There is no greater gift to a home cook quite like a batch of homemade broth. I mean, sure, store-bought broth is convenient, but homemade is 10x better, I tell ya! Think about it, broth or stock is the heartbeat of so many dishes like soups, stews, braises, sauces, etc. My friends, there ain’t anything like making broth from scratch. It’s incredibly fresh, packed with flavor, and so much body.

ingredients for homemade chicken broth in bowls

Ingredients You’ll Need:

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • Chicken: The star of the show since we’re making chicken broth ya know. I like to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
  • Mirepoix: Onion, carrot, and celery…a culinary holy trinity!
  • Spices: Salt, bay leaves, black peppercorns.
  • Garlic: Mmmm gotta have that garlic flavor, yum.
  • Herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary, whew.
ingredients for homemade chicken broth in slow cooker vessel

How To Make Homemade Chicken Broth:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

The use of a slow cooker for this specific recipe comes in clutch because there’s no babysitting a pot on the stove. Chicken broth is required to cook long and at a slow rate to extract every bit of goodness. A good old slow cooker vessel allows you to literally dump everything in it and go on about your business, ha.

cooked chicken and veggies in slow cooker vessel

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours– until the chicken is falling apart, the veggies are silky-tender, and the broth is deeply fragrant. The smell is absolutely divine and fills the whole house, my goodness gracious! I love starting my batch in the evening, letting it slow cook overnight, and then boom. In the morning, I’ve got fresh homemade chicken broth 🙌🏾❤️‍🔥.

Difference Between Broth & Stock:

Let’s quickly discuss the difference between broth and stock because it can be confusing, I get it. To put it clearly: broth is a simmering of the animal carcass with its meat and cartilage (along with aromatics + herbs), and stock is comprised of a simmering of just the animal bones (along with aromatics + herbs). >> Broth= simmering meat/cartilage, Stock= simmering bones.

chicken and veggies in cheesecloth

Finishing & Storing Your Homemade Broth:

Use a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to strain the broth + solids over a large bowl. Transfer the chicken broth into deli containers or mason jars and refrigerate or freeze. Use refrigerated broth within 4-5 days. To freeze: Chicken broth can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to use in recipes, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Use this chicken broth up in a batch of collard greens, this creamy shrimp and grits, or give this Cajun gumbo a try, mmm 💛.

homemade chicken broth in glass jars with label

A Homemade Chicken Broth recipe to stockpile in your fridge or freezer- the foundation for a plethora of dishes. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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homemade chicken broth in glass jars

Slow Cooker Homemade Chicken Broth

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  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 hours
  • Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 64 ounces
  • Category: Soups & Stews
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Description

Make your own Homemade Chicken Broth with this easy, step-by-step recipe. With just a few ingredients like a rotisserie chicken, veggies, herbs, and spices; you’ll have a cozy batch of the most fresh and flavor-loaded chicken broth to use in a variety of everyday cooking. This chicken broth recipe is super fragrant, extra delicious, and so much better than store-bought! Freezing notes are provided, too!

Ingredients

  • 1 whole store-bought rotisserie chicken, about 3–4 lbs, see notes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut into quarters
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 cloves of garlic, crushed open
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 stems fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • 8 cups (64 ounces) filtered water, cold or room temperature

Instructions

  1. Prep chicken. Cut the chicken (or use your hands with disposable gloves as needed) to break the whole chicken apart into rough pieces.
  2. Assemble the broth. Place the chicken pieces, onion, carrots, and celery into a slow cooker vessel (at least 6 quarts in capacity). Then add the salt. If you have a sachet bag, place the bay leaves, garlic, fresh thyme + rosemary, and black peppercorns into it, tighten, and place it into the slow cooker as well. Otherwise, you can just add those items loosely to the pot with everything else. Lastly, cover the ingredients with water.
  3. Slow cook. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 hours– until the chicken is falling apart, the veggies are silky-tender, and the broth is deeply fragrant.
  4. Cool broth & solids. After simmering, use a slotted utensil to remove the broth contents, transferring them to a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl- do not discard just yet. Let the broth + solids cool down to room temperature or enough to handle. 
  5. Strain broth. Use a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to strain the broth + solids over a large bowl. I like to firmly press on the broth solids while in the sieve/cheesecloth to extract every glorious drop of goodness, ensuring the solids are bone-dry! Then discard the solids + aromatics.
  6. Storing broth. Transfer and divide the chicken broth into deli containers, mason jars, or any vessel(s) you’d like that can be fitted with an airtight lid. For good measure, be sure to label and date the broth. Refrigerate broth overnight. The next day, skim off any accumulated fat from the top of the broth (or keep the fat cap in place!). This recipe makes 64 ounces (or 8 cups) of chicken broth. Use refrigerated broth within 4-5 days. To freeze: Make sure broth is in freezer-safe containers (ensuring that there is about 1-inch of room at the top in vessel(s) for broth expansion). Chicken broth can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to use, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Rotisserie chicken: Aim for a store-bought rotisserie chicken with *no* seasonings/flavoring to it (ex: lemon pepper, mojo, etc.)
  2. Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin