Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Liquid
- 1500 g chicken parts, raw
- 3000 ml cold water, filtered preferred
Mirepoix and Aromatics
- 300 g yellow onion, unpeeled, cut into large chunks
- 200 g carrots, scrubbed, cut into large chunks
- 150 g celery, washed, cut into large chunks
- 15 g garlic, halved crosswise
- 5 g black peppercorns, whole
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 5 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 488 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 677 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 606 mg
- Calcium
- 63 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 29 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 301 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 19 mcg
- Water
- 450 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash and chop the onion, carrots, and celery into uniform large chunks. Halve the garlic cloves.
Place the raw chicken parts into the large stockpot and cover entirely with the cold water.
Place the pot over medium-high heat and slowly bring the water to a very gentle simmer, around 85°C to 90°C or 185°F to 195°F. Do not allow the water to reach a rolling boil.
As the water heats, a grayish foam will rise to the surface. Use the skimmer to carefully scoop off and discard these impurities. Continue skimming for about 15 minutes until the surface is mostly clear.
Once the broth is skimmed, add the prepared onion, carrots, celery, garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh thyme to the pot.
Reduce the heat to low to maintain a bare simmer. Cook uncovered for 3 to 4 hours. The surface should only occasionally break with a single bubble.
Remove the stockpot from the heat. Carefully pour the broth through the fine mesh strainer into a large heatproof bowl. Discard the spent solids, as their flavor has been fully extracted.
Cool the strained broth as quickly as possible to prevent bacterial growth. An ice bath is highly recommended. Once at room temperature, transfer to the refrigerator.
Chef's Notes
- Starting a broth with cold water is non-negotiable for clarity. Cold water slowly draws albumin out of the bones and meat so it can coagulate in large enough pieces to be skimmed away.
- Leaving the onion skins on adds a beautiful golden hue to the finished liquid. Just ensure they are washed thoroughly to remove any dirt.
- Avoid adding starchy vegetables like potatoes, or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, as they will turn the liquid cloudy and impart a bitter, sulfurous flavor.
- A professional broth is rarely salted during the cooking process. Leaving it unsalted allows you to reduce it later into a demi-glace or sauce without the salt concentrating to inedible levels.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool completely before covering. Fat will solidify on top, forming a protective seal.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in usable portions, leaving headspace for expansion.
Reheating: Bring to a rolling boil at 100 degrees Celsius / 212 degrees Fahrenheit before using.
Troubleshooting
Broth is cloudy and opaque
Cause: The liquid was allowed to boil vigorously, which emulsified the fats and proteins into the water
Fix: Cannot be fixed aesthetically, but is perfectly safe and delicious to consume
Prevention: Maintain a gentle, lazy simmer and do not stir the pot while it cooks
Broth tastes weak or like water
Cause: Not enough reduction time or lack of salt
Fix: Return strained broth to the stove and gently reduce further, then add a pinch of salt to amplify flavors
Prevention: Ensure proper ratio of bones to water and simmer for the full duration
Broth sours quickly in the refrigerator
Cause: Broth was covered and refrigerated while still hot, creating an insulated warm environment ideal for bacteria
Fix: Discard immediately. Do not attempt to boil to save it
Prevention: Rapidly cool the broth in an ice bath before placing it in the refrigerator
Cultural Context
Chicken broth is a universal foundational element in almost every culinary tradition, revered equally as a building block for complex dishes and as a restorative elixir. In French classical cuisine, known as fond de volaille, it represents the essential canvas upon which sauces, soups, and braises are constructed.
