Golden yellow chicken broth, made with dark meat in the crockpot in 4 hours on HIGH or 10 hours overnight on LOW. I provide help with freezing and storing broth, as well as bagging the chicken to use for future soup and casserole recipes!
Want to make homemade chicken broth in a crockpot?
Are you ready for your home to smell amazing? Because it’s going to smell so good when you make homemade chicken broth in your crockpot!
Making your own chicken broth is so easy! It’s as simple as adding chicken, water, veggies and some spices into the crockpot, giving it a stir, and then coming back in a few hours for the best chicken broth you’ve ever tasted. Seriously, it’s so rich and velvety smooth.
Tip: Don’t peel the onion! Keeping the skin on the onion is going to make the broth a golden yellow honey color!
It’s up to you what you want to do with the broth. Maybe you want to make homemade chicken noodle soup with chicken thighs the next day. Maybe you want to make Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Cabbage. Maybe you want to mix it with beef broth to make French Onion Soup. Maybe you want to freeze it or can it. Don’t worry, I can help you out with all of it, including how to freeze the chicken afterwards!
How long does chicken broth take in the crockpot?
This can be a overnight recipe or a quick recipe, I’ve had success doing both. For overnight, cook 8-10 hours on LOW. For a quicker broth recipe, cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
What parts of a chicken are best for chicken broth?
Dark meat works best for chicken broth as it has richer flavor. Use thighs, legs, and wings. Bonus, dark meat is usually cheaper too!
How to Make Chicken Broth in the Slow Cooker
Place chicken and water in the slow cooker.
Add all the veggies and spices in and give it a stir to mix. It’s beautiful right?
Cook on LOW or HIGH depending on how much time you have. This is how it looks after 4 hours on HIGH.
Strain the chicken, vegetables and spices so you’re left with a smooth broth. I do this by putting a strainer over a large soup pot. This will make approximately 5 cups of chicken broth.
And just like that, you have homemade chicken broth! Enjoy!
What to do with leftover chicken when making broth?
Easy, you use it! Don’t throw it away. GASP.
If you’re using it right away, simply remove the chicken from the bones, shred and use as needed. Same goes for the veggies in the soup, use those too!
I am usually freezing the broth and chicken for future meals, so I remove the chicken from the bones, shred it and then bag it in freezer bags. This works amazing as all you need to do is defrost the chicken and then add directly in soups or casseroles. This weekend I made chicken and dumpling soup and having the chicken all ready to go made the soup so quick to make!
Storing, Canning, Freezing Broth
Store broth in mason jars in the refrigerator If using same day or in the next few days. Chicken broth is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
You can can chicken broth for long term storage using a pressure canner. Pressure can for 25 minutes for a quart, or 20 minutes for a pint, with 1 inch headspace in the jars. Canned chicken broth can last up to a year if properly canned.
To freeze (my preferred method) I allow the broth to cool and then place in freezer bags, making sure they are completely sealed before freezing. Frozen broth is good up to 3 months. If you’re making a few batches, lay flat to maximize your freezer space. When you need it, defrost in the microwave or refrigerator overnight.
Pin for later:
4 Hour Crockpot Chicken Broth
PrintIngredients
- 2.5 pounds bone-in chicken pieces dark meat such as thighs, legs and wings taste best
- 6 cups water
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 carrots chopped (no need to peel them)
- 1 yellow onion quartered (don’t peel it!)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir. Tip: Don’t peel the onion – this will give the broth more of a golden yellow color.
- Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Strain, removing chicken, vegetables and spices from the broth. Use the broth as you’d like. This recipe makes 5 cups of chicken broth.
- Remove chicken from bones and save it for another recipe by shredding it, adding to freezer bags, freezing it and then using for soups and casseroles in the future.
- Use chicken broth as you’d like right away (keeps for 3-4 days in the refrigerator), freeze the broth (keeps for 3 months in the freezer) or can it (keeps for 1 year if properly canned).
Leave a Comment