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    Home » Recipes » Chicken » Homemade Chicken Stock and Money Saving Tips

    Homemade Chicken Stock and Money Saving Tips

    Last Updated November 9, 2022. Originally Posted December 15, 2015 By Maggie Unzueta

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Making your own chicken stock will make your food that much more delicious. It's worth the time investment for very little effort in the kitchen. Your family and your pocket will love for it.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Chicken Stock in a Mason Jar

    One of my favorite tricks of the kitchen trade: Buy a whole chicken and get the butcher to cut it up for you. Ask him to include the bones and the kidneys. I’m not a fan of kidneys, but the furry friends like them. When you get home, separate all your chicken pieces. I have a bag in the freezer just for back bones for making chicken stock … another one just for thighs, just legs, and so on. You may not want to do this extra step, but it saves TONS of money. And who can’t use mo’ money in their pocket especially during the Holidays?

    Herbs

    The other money saving tip I have is growing your own herbs. I’m not a gardener AT ALL. My grandma and my mom were/ are amazing gardeners. Me? I did not inherit their green thumbs unfortunately, but I can grow herbs. In the backyard, I have thyme and oregano. I’m a bit worried about my oregano plant, though. It seems to be dying. Might be the unusual cold winter weather we’re encountering in San Diego right now. Don’t plan your next ski trip to San Diego just yet, folks. The pigs are not flying… yet. Lol. The rosemary is store bought, and I seem to buy it a lot more in the winter months for rosemary bread, rosemary chicken, even for decorating.

    Making Chicken Stock with garlic, herbs and cloves

    Next money saving tip: make your own chicken stock. Remember those chicken back bones? Pull them out of the freezer and make chicken stock. When my store-bought rosemary is about to die and I am not going to use the rest of it in another meal, it’s time to make chicken stock. Little leftovers of onions and the last of the carrots, make great addition to the stock pot. The BEST part about making your own stock is that you control the amount of salt. If you’re not into collecting chicken bones, make an herb stock.

     

    cooking pot

    Strainer

    Making Chicken Stock

    Then when it’s done, put them in ice cube trays and use as needed. If you know you’re going to use it soon, store it in a jar with a lid. It will last 3 days in the frig or in the freezer for 3 months. The flavor … I can’t stress this enough … the flavor of your food will be a million times more delicious.


    Mason Jar
    Ice Tray

    Chicken Stock

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    Chicken Stock | In Mama Maggie's Kitchen

    Homemade Chicken Stock

    Making your own chicken stock will make your food that much more delicious. It's worth the time investment for very little effort in the kitchen. Your family and your pocket will love for it.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: All cuisine types
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 3 quarts
    Calories: 22kcal
    Author: Maggie Unzueta

    Ingredients

    • 1 chicken carcass or back bone.
    • ½ onion quartered
    • 1 celery rib chopped
    • 1 carrot chopped
    • 2 cloves of garlic halved
    • ⅛ teaspoon black peppercorn
    • 2 sprigs of thyme
    • 2 sprigs of rosemary
    • 2 sprigs of oregano
    • 4 quarts of water
    • Salt as desired

    Instructions

    • Bring all the ingredients to boil in a large 8-qt stockpot. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours.
    • Skim foam occasionally.
    • Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Press to get all the stock. Discard solids.
    • Note: Stock can last up to 3 months in the freezer or 3 days in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    Store it in a jar with a lid. It will last 3 days in the fridge or in the freezer for 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3430IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

    Filed Under: Chicken

    About Maggie Unzueta

    Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

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