Clean Eating Basic Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

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.

Helpful Tip: Stock can be made on the hob or in the oven but I have found it is much easier and safer to do it in the slow cooker. I made up my stock right after using the chicken and turned it on, allowing it to cook overnight.

I also read this great article last night from Super Naturally Healthy which explains the health benefits of homemade stocks.

Clean Eating Basic Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

By The Kitchen Shed Published: September 5, 2014

• 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

1. 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!).
2. 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.
3. Cook on low for 12+ Hours. (I cooked mine overnight for about 15 hours)
4. Once cooked, pour the stock through a fine sieve and season to taste.
5. Allow the stock to cool in the containers you are going to store it in.
6. Once cool enough, refrigerate. Once chilled, remove the fat that settles on the surface and use, refrigerate or freeze.

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