Easy Chicken Broth Recipe

This is the easiest homemade chicken broth recipe I’ve made and it tastes like pure chicken.

This recipe has quickly become one of my favorites. It’s ridiculously simple to make, and since it starts with a whole chicken, you are left with an incredible broth and a whole cooked chicken at the end.

You can use the broth to make your favorite soups (chicken noodle soup for me!) and the chicken to make chicken salad or these incredible chicken enchiladas.

Key Ingredients

• Chicken: I use a whole chicken to make the broth and gently poach it in cold water with the other ingredients for just over an hour (that’s all!).. We also have this chicken stock recipe, which I love, but it takes much longer (more like 3 to 4 hours).
• Peppercorns: Pepper has this fantastic ability to make things taste more rounded out and seasoned, which is why it’s a common ingredient when making broth. I use whole peppercorns in this recipe.
• Garlic: I add 2 garlic cloves that I lightly smash with my knife for a light flavor.
• Thyme and Bay Leaf: Super classic and delicious, fresh thyme and a bay leaf bring out the pure chicken flavor and make the broth taste well-rounded.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Tips for Making the Best Chicken Broth

Tip 1: Use a whole chicken. To make the broth, I place a whole chicken, breast-side-down, in a pot and add the garlic cloves, peppercorns, fresh thyme, a bay leaf, and a bit of salt. I barely cover it with cold water, bring it to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer. We use a similar method when making the broth for chicken and dumplings.

Tip 2: Skim your broth. Some scum and foam rise to the top as the water heats up. Skim that off the top using a slotted spoon or a soup skimmer. Then, cover the pot and allow the broth to simmer for an hour and fifteen minutes.

Tip 3: Strain and store for your favorite recipes. Remove the chicken, and pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Now it is ready to use or store your broth in jars for another day. It keeps in the fridge for four days and in the freezer for a few months. We highly recommend using the cooked chicken to make our chicken salad or chicken enchiladas.

Serving Suggestions

Since the chicken simmers for just over an hour, it comes out juicy and tender. This is a fantastic bonus to this recipe! You can use the tender cooked chicken for other dishes, like chicken salad, green chicken enchiladas, and more! I especially love it when making our homemade French onion soup.

For more broth and stock recipes, see our classic chicken stock recipe, which calls for chicken bones from leftover roasted chicken. We also have this incredible chicken bone broth, which we make using our Instant Pot. Finally, for a vegetable option, I love this homemade vegetable broth (it’s so good that I sip it like tea).