Homemade Chicken Stock, But Make It Quick!
Everyone’s always telling you to use homemade chicken stock in recipes, and “store-bought in a pinch” right? And maybe you’ve even made your own chicken stock from scratch before, because you’re ambitious like that! But many of us just simply don’t have the time to spend eight hours watching a pot simmer on the stove, and those of us who do have the time might prefer not to smell boiling chicken carcass for eight hours straight. Well, not only does this super quick Instant Pot chicken stock recipe solve both of those problems, it also produces a homemade chicken stock that’s every bit as rich and flavorful as one that takes six times as long. Yep, that old Instant Pot magic strikes again!
What Is the Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?
Chicken stock and chicken broth are very similar, but they’re not the exact same thing. So, what makes this a chicken stock recipe and not a chicken broth recipe? Easy—it’s the chicken bones! Chicken stock is a pretty well-defined food, with a set of prescribed ingredients: chicken bones, mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions), and some collection of herbs and aromatics (though exactly what they are can vary). Chicken broth, on the other hand, is more loosely defined. Broth simply means a liquid that meat has been simmered in—the liquid leftover after poaching chicken breasts could be called a broth—and generally has less body than a stock. This Instant Pot chicken broth is hearty—when you refrigerate it, it’ll solidify into a gel. Which is a good thing! During the cooking process, collagen from the chicken bones leaches into the stock, and that’s what makes the strained, cooled chicken stock take on that jelly-like texture. Broth, meanwhile, is typically a bit lighter in consistency, and less nutrient-dense.
Everything You’ll Need To Make Our Instant Pot Chicken Stock Recipe
Now that you know what makes stock different from broth, you’ve probably got some suspicions about what ingredients you’ll need to make this stock recipe. But the aromatics—the garlic, bay leaves, parsley and peppercorns—are sort of just suggestions to get you going. They’re the most classic aromatics, and we love them. But you can also feel free to play around a bit with the herbs you use. Try thyme or cilantro in place of parsley. Try adding ginger and / or turmeric to give the broth a little extra brightness and depth. Here’s your stock-making shopping list:
Chicken wings or leftover chicken carcass
Yellow onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Bay leaves
Parsley
Black peppercorns
How to Make Chicken Stock in the Instant Pot
If you’ve got a chicken carcass leftover—say from making roast chicken, or even from a grocery store rotisserie chicken—don’t toss it! Save it for making chicken stock. You don’t even have to use it right away. Toss it in the freezer (packed in a big freezer bag) and use it when you’re ready. We even store up a few carcasses, and when we’ve got a couple saved, we declare that it’s stock-making day. Though, with this Instant Pot stock recipe, we don’t even need a whole day! Just over an hour, and we’re done. Here’s how to make Instant Pot chicken stock:
Combine the chicken carcasses or chicken wings, aromatics and herbs with water up to the max fill line in the Instant Pot.
Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and bring to a rapid boil.
Use a spoon to scrape off any foam that arises.
Secure the lid with the valve set to seal.
Use the manual pressure cook setting and set the pressure cooker to high for 45 minutes.
Then, let the pressure naturally release for at least 30 minutes.
Turn the release valve to vent and remove the lid.
Take all of the chicken and vegetable pieces out of the Instant Pot.
Pour chicken stock through a strainer.
Storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up five days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. You did it! You make chicken stock! And now, you might be wondering....
What Is Chicken Stock Good For?
Just about everything! Well, not everything. But it makes just about anything it touches taste really, really good. Just about any soup will be made way better if you use this homemade stock instead of store-bought stock (or broth), but you can also use it in place of water to cook grains—rice, barley, quinoa, etc. Here are a few recipes that use chicken stock to get you started:
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes to Try
Tools You’ll Need
Look At You, Making Stock from Scratch!
You’ve definitely unlocked a new level of home cooking magic when you become a person who speaks casually about making your own stock. And we’re so proud of you! We hope you love this recipe, and we’d love to know what you make with your Instant Pot stock! Let us know, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
