This Is Just the Beginning
If you are someone who enjoys a rotisserie chicken or just a whole chicken on occasion, you need to be someone who makes their own broth. This is so easy, it’s ridiculous. The leftover frame of a chicken, covered with water, dump in some veggies, herbs, and salt, bring it to a boil.
And why should you do this? First, your house will smell amazing. Second, broth is a better ingredient to make rice, grits, mashed potatoes, couscous, etc. than plain old water. Lastly, save some money, use up veggie scraps, and stretch the value of that chicken. A delicious rotisserie dinner is just the beginning.
What You Need to Make Chicken Broth from Rotisserie Chicken
- Chicken Bones – a.k.a. a rotisserie or a whole chicken, it doesn’t have to be from a rotisserie, but the idea is to use the leftover bones after the cooked meat has been removed and enjoyed.
- Veggies – Include the classic trio of onions, carrots, and celery. I like to use up carrots that are maybe less than desirable for snacking, that celery stalk that no one wants to eat, the end of onions that would otherwise be tossed, etc.
- Herbs – Bay leaves (dried) and fresh rosemary (if you have it or use 1 teaspoon dried).
- Lemon – this is optional, and if you started with the chicken from the Baked Whole Chicken with Fresh Herbs and Lemon, it will already be lemony. I like a hint of bright flavor in my broth, but you can leave it out.
How To Make Chicken Broth From Rotisserie Chicken
First, remove as much of the meat form the chicken carcass as you are able. This doesn’t have to be perfect or completely clean. Place the chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water.
Next, place celery pieces and baby carrots or cut pieces in the pot. Rough chop half a large onion and place it in the water. Add the bay leaves, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and a lemon cut in half.
Place the lid on the stock pot and bring the mix to a boil. Allow the broth to boil for one hour. The liquids will reduce.
Place a mesh strainer over a large bowl. At the end of the cooking time, carefully ladle the broth into the strainer, removing all the large pieces from the broth.
Let the broth cool and place in a storage container.
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- I like to store veggie scraps like the parts of celery you don’t want to eat, or the end of onions that are cut off and freeze them in plastic bags. Then, when I’m ready to make a broth, I pull those scraps out and toss them in the broth.
- Use this to make chicken noodle soup. Start with the meat from the rotisserie, make the broth. Cook onions, celery, and carrots. Add the broth, meat, and egg noodles.
- Use this broth in place of water when making rice, mashed potatoes, and couscous.
- After storing the broth, a top layer of fat will probably develop. Remove that layer before using the broth.
- Broth will freeze well. Leave a bit of room at the top of your storage container for expansion.
Chicken Broth From Rotisserie Chicken
Equipment
- 8 Qrt Stock pot with lid
- paring knife
- cutting board
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- ladle
- mesh strainer
- large bowl
- storage containers
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat cleaned off
- 12 cups water (cover the chicken carcass)
- 4 ounces celery
- 4 ounces onion (quarter of a large onion)
- 4 ounces carrots (1 cup baby carrots)
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start by enjoying a delicious rotisserie chicken or try the baked whole chicken with lemon and herbs (find the link below). Remove any excess meat, as much of the large pieces as you can. Leaving skin on is fine, the bones don't need to be completely clean.
- Place the chicken carcass in a large stock pot. Cover the carcass with water. I use an 8 quart and it took about 12 cups of water to cover most of the chicken.
- Put the veggies, herbs, salt, and pepper in the water. Cut the onion in large chunks and the lemon in half and place them in the water as well.
- Place the lid on the stock pot and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, start the timer and boil for 1 hour.
- At the end of the cooking time, remove the stock pot from the heat. Carefully ladle out the broth and pour it through a strainer into a bowl.
- Transfer the strained broth to storage containers. Allow the broth to cool before placing lids and refrigerating or freezing.
