Creating your own chicken stock or broth in a slow cooker is remarkably straightforward, yielding a rich, deeply flavored, and wonderfully concentrated liquid that elevates countless dishes. This method is not only incredibly easy but also produces a superior, paleo-friendly stock that far surpasses store-bought alternatives in both taste and nutritional value. Simply combine raw chicken pieces or carcasses with a thoughtful selection of aromatic vegetables, fresh herbs, and ample water in your slow cooker, set it, and allow the magic to happen. The low, slow simmer extracts maximum flavor and gelatin, transforming simple ingredients into a culinary masterpiece with minimal effort.
The slow cooker method for crafting chicken stock has truly captivated home cooks. While making chicken stock from scratch isn’t inherently difficult, the slow cooker approach dramatically reduces the perceived effort and attention required. Unlike stovetop methods that demand constant monitoring of a gas flame to prevent a boisterous boil that can lead to cloudy, bitter stock, or a flame too low that prolongs an already lengthy process, the slow cooker offers unparalleled convenience. You can simply walk away, confident that the stock will gently burble at a consistent temperature, maintaining its clarity and developing a profound depth of flavor. This hands-off capability even allows you to leave the house without a second thought, making it an ideal choice for busy schedules.
This gentle, prolonged simmering ensures your homemade chicken stock remains beautifully clear and incredibly flavorful. Once you experience the effortless nature and outstanding results of slow cooker chicken stock, you’ll likely find yourself unwilling to return to any other method. The ease with which this rich, savory liquid comes together is so compelling that many who try it declare it their new, indispensable technique. It transforms a once-daunting kitchen task into a simple, almost therapeutic process, ensuring a constant supply of liquid gold for your culinary endeavors. For those rare occasions when you might crave the traditional stovetop experience, a perfect Roast Chicken Stock recipe is also available to complement your repertoire.
Crafting Your Perfect Chicken Stock: Tips for Flavor Customization
While making homemade chicken stock, whether in a slow cooker or a conventional pot, isn’t rocket science, consistently producing a *reliable* and exceptionally flavorful stock is an art. It’s easy enough to toss chicken (raw parts or a roasted carcass), random vegetables, and herbs into water, and the result will likely be acceptable. However, to achieve a truly rich, deep, and complex flavor profile that elevates your cooking, precision in proportions and ingredient selection makes all the difference. We’ve dedicated countless hours to perfecting chicken stock, and our recipe below provides the exact ratios of chicken, water, vegetables, and herbs that consistently deliver outstanding results. Those who have followed this recipe precisely rave about it becoming their default, foolproof method for chicken stock.
Nevertheless, for the adventurous cook who enjoys a bit of customization, here are some insights into how various ingredients influence your stock’s character and how you can tweak it to your personal preference:
- Leeks: Offering a milder, more delicate allium flavor compared to onions, leeks contribute a subtle sweetness and aromatic depth without overpowering the stock. Ensure they are thoroughly rinsed to remove any grit before chopping.
- Celery: This humble vegetable imparts a clean, slightly herbaceous, and almost astringent note that brightens the overall flavor of the stock. It’s a classic component in mirepoix for a reason, providing essential aromatic balance.
- Carrots: The natural sweetness of carrots is crucial for balancing the savory notes of the chicken and other vegetables. They also lend a beautiful golden hue to the finished stock, enhancing its visual appeal.
- Black Peppercorns: A small handful of whole black peppercorns provides a gentle, earthy warmth and a nuanced layer of complexity. Avoid using ground pepper, which can make the stock cloudy.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are indispensable for infusing your stock with aromatic finesse. Thyme and bay leaf are traditional choices, offering earthy and slightly floral undertones. Experiment with parsley stems for a fresh, green note or rosemary for a more robust, woodsy flavor.
- Garlic: Like herbs, the addition of a few cloves of garlic provides a foundational aromatic base, adding savory depth and a subtle pungency that rounds out the flavor profile.
- Ginger: For an intriguing twist, especially if you plan to use your stock in Asian-inspired dishes, a small piece of fresh ginger root can impart a warming sharpness. Use it sparingly and consider pairing it with other complementary ingredients like lemongrass or a hint of star anise for a harmonious blend.
One final, crucial piece of advice: never rely solely on bones and water. Trust us on this. We learned this lesson the hard way. Early in her culinary journey, our editor-in-chief, Renee, once simmered roasted bones in water for hours, expecting a magical transformation. The result was, unfortunately, a rather bland and uninspired liquid, proving that the “gods of stock-making” do not smile upon such minimalist efforts. A truly flavorful stock requires the gelatin and richness from meaty chicken parts (like wings, necks, and backs) combined with the essential aromatics to build a complex and satisfying foundation.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
David Leite
Mains
American
8
cups
162
kcal
15
minutes
11
hours
45
minutes
12
hours
Equipment
-
Slow cooker
Ingredients
-
2
pounds
chicken wings, necks, backs, or other parts (raw parts or carcasses from a rotisserie chicken or roast chicken) -
4
smallish
carrots,
rinsed and roughly chopped -
1
leek,
rinsed and roughly chopped -
1
smallish
onion,
peeled or unpeeled, roughly chopped -
1
teaspoon
black peppercorns -
1
fresh bay leaf,
(optional) -
1
sprig
fresh thyme - Cold water
Instructions
-
Combine all the ingredients in your slow cooker, adding enough cold water to fully cover the ingredients. Cook on the low setting for a minimum of 12 hours, or ideally, overnight. That’s truly all there is to it! For an even clearer stock, you may wish to gently skim any froth that rises to the surface during the initial stages of cooking.
-
Once cooking is complete, carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Allow the strained stock to cool completely to room temperature before portioning. For convenient future use, freeze in resealable plastic bags or airtight containers in 1- to 2-cup portions. This ensures you always have homemade goodness on hand.
Notes
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
For a quicker alternative, combine all ingredients in your Instant Pot. Add enough cold water to cover, and set it to the slow cook mode on the “less” setting for at least 12 hours or overnight. As with the slow cooker method, you might choose to skim the surface during the initial cooking phase. Once done, strain the stock and either use it immediately or allow it to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
Adapted From
Easy Slow Cooker
Buy On Amazon
Nutrition
Calories: 162 kcal
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 47 mg
Sodium: 69 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 2 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Why Our Testers Rave About This Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
The overwhelming sentiment from our recipe testers is clear: this slow cooker chicken stock recipe is a revelation for its incredible ease and superior flavor. Many, despite years of traditional stock-making, have declared this method their new gold standard, praising its hands-off approach and the exceptional quality of the resulting broth. Here’s a summary of their experiences and insights:
Cindy Zaiffdeen
Cindy found this to be “one of the easiest recipes ever!” and lauded it for producing “the best low-sodium chicken stock.” She noted her husband’s surprise at their not having tried it sooner, proclaiming it her “new chicken stock method forever!” Having previously made stock the “old-fashioned way” with constant stirring and difficult straining, she was “wooed by the ease” and “fantastic” result, yielding over 4 quarts from a 6-quart slow cooker after an overnight cook.
Leanne Abe
Leanne, who has experimented with stovetop, pressure cooker, and slow cooker methods, declared the slow cooker the “winner” for its “ease and cleanup.” She appreciated the ability to “dump everything in the pot in the morning and then came home to a pot of stock! No waiting or watching required.” She also offered a helpful tip for minimalists, suggesting that even “just the chicken bones and a bay leaf” could work in a pinch.
Sue Epstein
After 40 years of making stock on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker, Sue found this to be “the best chicken stock ever” and her “go-to way” forward. She praised the new additions of leek and bay leaf, which she found “perfect.” She even experimented with reducing the liquid for a more concentrated flavor by removing the lid for the last few hours of cooking.
Anna Scott
Anna loved the “ingenious” idea of a hands-off method, especially with a freezer full of saved chicken leftovers. She found the leeks to add a “nice, mild onion flavor” and was impressed by the “very deep in color” stock produced after 12 hours. She highly recommends it as a slow cooker soup recipe foundation, perfect for colder months and keeping the freezer stocked.
Helen Doberstein
Helen, already a fan of slow-cooked broth, confirmed that this recipe yields a “lovely, dark, flavorful broth.” She firmly believes that the long, slow cooking process in a slow cooker produces a “better broth” with “deeper flavor” than stovetop methods, making it highly recommendable for any kind of broth.
Sita Krishnaswamy
Sita described this as an “incredibly simple and easy way to make homemade chicken stock,” highlighting the “incredibly flavorful stock” that allows you to “assemble everything and forget about it.” Using a roast chicken carcass overnight, she obtained about 8 cups of “incredibly flavorful stock” with “a lot more depth” and a beautiful “dark color,” suggesting its suitability for French Onion Soup. Five stars well deserved!
Pat Francis
Pat, having made slow cooker stock before without specific proportions, found this recipe’s “basic formula produces a fantastic stock and one that is easily replicable over and over again.” Starting with chicken wings, she achieved a “beautiful clear and brown stock with very little effort.” She noted that straining was the most time-consuming part, consistent across all stock-making methods, and successfully adapted the recipe for a smaller batch using a rotisserie chicken carcass, though preferring the richness of uncooked chicken parts.
Robert McCune
Robert appreciated the “easy assembly and the long cooking time,” valuing the ability to “leave it for 12 hours and going about the other things I need to do.” With a mix of chicken parts and a roasted carcass, he achieved a “very rich, deeply flavored stock.” Despite its simplicity, he awarded it a “TC” (Tester’s Choice) because “it’s the very simplicity that makes this a keeper in my book.” He also highlighted the benefit of a large slow cooker for making and freezing ample quantities.
Terri D.
Terri enjoyed how “easy this stock was to put together” and the resulting “nice clear broth” after simmering for about 18 hours. She finds it a “great alternative to canned chicken broth” that she can conveniently use straight from her freezer.
Robyn O.
Robyn exclaimed “SO EASY!” and confirmed that the stock “tastes exactly as chicken stock should.” She spent only 5 minutes on prep and cooked it on low overnight for 12 hours. Using dried thyme and a dried bay leaf, she found the flavors perfect. She used chicken drumsticks, which yielded usable meat for another recipe, and noted “no scum” to skim. The final stock, stored in Mason jars, was eagerly anticipated for dishes like Instant Pot Chuck Roast.
Susan Bingaman
Susan, a seasoned stock maker who saves turkey and chicken carcasses, shared her Instant Pot variation for a quicker turnaround. Using 10 cups of water, she cooked it on high for 1 hour with natural pressure release, resulting in “10 cups of lovely, albeit cloudy, stock” in under 2 hours. She noted its “rich, meaty, and heady” flavor even unsalted and provided a practical tip: don’t worry about the Instant Pot ring retaining smells, as a dishwasher cycle cleans it perfectly.
Helen Doberstein
Helen reiterated her preference for the Instant Pot in slow cook mode for its ability to achieve a “rich, deeply flavored broth… with a minimum of fuss.” Using leftover bones from a roasted chicken and additional freezer stashes, along with the specified aromatics, she cooked it for 16 hours. She found no need to skim and appreciated being able to adjust cooking time for desired depth. The result was a “rich deep yellow chicken broth,” perfect for immediate use or freezing in quart jars.