I cook a whole chicken in my slow cooker most weeks. It is so simple and feeds us for a couple of days. Whole chickens are pretty inexpensive too making it more affordable to buy higher welfare varieties. Lidl sells free range whole chickens for around £5 each.
I have wanted to make homemade chicken stock for ages. When I have all of the ingredients right there with me week in, week out, it seems a little bit wasteful not too. Plus, I don’t like missing out on anything – especially ‘free’ chicken stock!
After a few weeks of trial and error (I think my problem was not adding any salt… It needs salt!) I decided to take note of Lisa Leaks Overnight Chicken Stock In The Crock Pot from 100 Days Of Real Food. Her method gave me a fuller flavour with less fuss. I cooked my stock for around 15 hours but anywhere from 12 would be good. The longer you leave it the better your stock will be.
This is just a basic recipe with ingredients I usually always have on hand but feel free to add fresh herbs, bay leaves, spices or other vegetables you might have. This stock keeps well in the fridge for a few days but if you are not planning on using it soon after making it then you can freeze it in 500ml portions or in ice cube trays.
This stock is amazing and adds such a great flavour to other dishes. We made the most delicious chicken soup with it, it was probably the best chicken soup we have ever had! From now until forever I will always make homemade chicken stock with my leftover slow cooker chicken.
Clean Eating Basic Slow Cooker Chicken Stock
By
Published:- Yield: approximately 1.5 litres
This is just a basic recipe with ingredients I usually always have on hand but feel free to add fresh herbs, bay leaves, spices or other vegetables you might have.
Ingredients
- 1 Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken Bones, Liquid, etc
- 1 Onion peeled and quartered
- 1 Carrot quartered
- 1 Celery Stalk quartered
- 1.5 litres Water
- 1 large pinch Sea Salt to taste
Instructions
- Once you have removed the meat from your slow cooked chicken (and removed the string) Keep all other leftovers inside the slow cooker, including the bones, juices and skin (if you like - i did!).
- Add the onion, carrot and celery and fill the slow cooker with water, leaving about an inch from the top of the slow cooker. You can add the salt now or after cooking, to taste.
- Cook on low for 12+ Hours. (I cooked mine overnight for about 15 hours)
- Once cooked, pour the stock through a fine sieve and season to taste.
- Allow the stock to cool in the containers you are going to store it in.
- Once cool enough, refrigerate. Once chilled, remove the fat that settles on the surface and use, refrigerate or freeze.
11 Comments
Nicola Knott
7th September 2014 at 7:53 pmCan you use the veg you used to cook the chicken or new veg?
Kezia Hall
9th October 2014 at 2:23 pmYes LOVE homemade stock/broth its so good for you and so super cheap – great recipe I always do mine in the slow cooker for hours!
Marielle Moore
27th January 2015 at 9:53 amYes I did this not long ago….first time I did my own stock…house smelled wonderful lol
Emma Flavin
27th January 2015 at 10:08 amA great addition after a lovely slow cooked roast chicken. Perfect chicken stock for yummy soup.
Mandy Moo
27th January 2015 at 10:23 amGreat idea to do this in the slow cooker. THink I read somewhere the slower you cook the bones, the more goodness comes from them.
Christina Hopkins
27th January 2015 at 10:23 amI tried this, it’s so yummy! Had to do it on the hob though…bet it’s even tastier when left longer 🙂
Sarah Richards
27th January 2015 at 10:23 amI really want to try this
Bethany Corbett
5th February 2015 at 10:08 pmLiquid gold! Really easy to make. Makes cleaning up after dinner so easy just putting the carcass straight back in the slowcooker and makes the house smell lovely in the morning.
Ola Timpson
13th March 2015 at 9:08 amI have some of this stock in my freezer at the moment. Loved how really easy it was to make a huge batch. It was my first time making stock and a very positive experience.
Ola Timpson
13th March 2015 at 9:08 amI have some of this stock in my freezer at the moment. Loved how really easy it was to make a huge batch. It was my first time making stock and a very positive experience.
Carley Barnes
25th August 2015 at 11:57 amWhen you freeze the stock how much stock did you put in each container?x