Learning how to make chicken bone broth is an important skill for anyone following a low-carb or keto lifestyle. It’s a savory, satisfying hot drink that helps ease “keto flu” symptoms and provides electrolytes and other nutrients.
How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
Making chicken bone broth is simple: grab a slow cooker (or pressure cooker), add a chicken carcass—leftover roast chicken carcasses work great—seasonings, fresh vegetables and herbs, then cover with water and cook low and slow. In a slow cooker, that usually means 24–48 hours to extract the most flavor and nutrients from the bones; I often cook mine for two full days. Fresh herbs make the biggest difference in flavor because they break down and infuse the broth more thoroughly than dried herbs.
Bone Broth vs. Stock
The terms “bone broth” and “stock” are often used interchangeably. While some people think of stock as a thicker, gelatinous base and broth as a lighter liquid, in practice they refer to the same basic preparation: simmered bones, aromatics and water that yield a flavorful cooking liquid.
Benefits of Bone Broth
Bone broth is prized for several potential benefits: it may support joint health, aid digestion, promote healthy skin, support immune function and help replenish electrolytes. It’s a nutrient-rich base you can sip on or use as the foundation for soups and sauces.
Can You Drink Bone Broth?
Yes. Sipping hot bone broth is a comforting, nourishing alternative to traditional soup. It’s especially welcome when you want something warm and savory without a lot of carbs.
One tip that consistently improves flavor: use fresh herbs. Fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage and basil tend to meld into the broth as it cooks, creating a bright, appetizing aroma. Dried herbs don’t always dissolve or release as much flavor during extended cooking, so fresh is the preferred choice when available.
When done well, chicken bone broth is healthy, versatile as a soup base, and delicious on its own. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe—happy low carbing!
Mike
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How to Make Chicken Bone Broth
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 day
- Total Time
- 1 day 10 minutes
- Course
- Soup
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 8 cups
- Calories
- 15
- Author
- Karami Urbanoski
Ingredients
- 1 Carcass of Roast Chicken
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 4-5 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 1-2 bunch fresh basil
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 medium white onion
- 12 cups water
Instructions
-
Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 24–48 hours depending on your slow cooker. To shorten the time, you can pressure cook for 1–2 hours.
-
Top up the water by the cup as needed to keep the liquid level from dropping too low. After long cooking, evaporation will reduce the volume; aim to finish with about 8–10 cups so the broth concentrates slightly.
-
When finished, strain the solids and serve hot, or cool and store in jars for later use.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional values are estimates and will vary with ingredients, portion sizes and how thoroughly you strain the broth.
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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