1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Home Cooking

Quick Full-Flavored Chicken Broth Recipe

User Rating No reviews yet Be the first to Write a Review

From

Make a rich chicken broth in less than an hour using chicken legs and thighs or backs. The recipe uses few ingredients and is quite simple to make. It will yield about 2 quarts of broth which may be frozen.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
  • 3 pounds chicken legs and thighs, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 2-inch pieces (or backs - see Notes)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 bay leaves

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup kettle over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onion and chicken pieces and saute until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add 2 quarts water (already boiling if you are in a hurry), salt and bay leaves. As soon as water comes to a simmer, immediately reduce heat to low again. Cover and simmer until broth is rich and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes longer.

Strain and discard solids. Broth is ready to use. Or cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze.

Yield: scant 2 quarts

Cook's Note:
You may substitute 4 pounds chicken backs and/or bones, cut into 2-inch pieces for the legs and thighs. You can also make this broth from a 4-pound chicken instead of the legs and thighs called for here. Simply remove the breast first and reserve for another use. Cut up the back, wings, legs and thighs and proceed with the recipe.

Recipe Source: The Perfect Recipe by Pam Anderson (Houghton Mifflin)
Reprinted with permission.

Explore Home Cooking

About.com Special Features

Holiday Leftover Ideas

Recipe ideas to turn your leftovers into a delicious meal. More >

All-Star Football Food

Try these gameday recipes that are sure to please any fan. More >

  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Home Cooking
  4. Classic Dish Recipes
  5. Soups and Stews
  6. Quick Full-Flavored Chicken Broth Recipe>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.