Instant Pot Chicken Stock (plus how to make it without an Instant Pot)
Feb 26, 2021, Updated May 02, 2022
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Stop! Don’t toss out those chicken bones and veggie scraps — turn them into chicken stock. This simple Instant Pot chicken stock recipe will save you money and cut down on kitchen waste.
Making your own stocks at home is an easy way to save money on your grocery bill and use up kitchen staples that might otherwise get pitched. Instead of tossing out limp carrots or forgotten celery, add them into a pot with chicken bones, water, herbs, and seasoning and transform them into fragrant homemade chicken stock.
We’re going to show you how just how simple it is to make homemade chicken stock in an Instant Pot. However, you don’t need an Instant Pot to make chicken stock. It does cut down on time, but if you don’t have one you can adapt this recipe using a regular stockpot. We’ll show you how below.
How to make chicken stock in an Instant Pot
Have you recently cooked chicken or dined on a rotisserie chicken? Great! Save the bones/carcass and survey the other stock-worthy ingredients in your kitchen. Look for produce that might be nearing the end of its shelf life — items like carrots, celery, leeks, onions, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and thyme.
Produce Moms Tip: Save carrot peels, celery scraps, and ends of onions in a freezer bag. Then, when you’re ready to make chicken stock, you’ll have the veggies ready to go. Plus, it reduces food waste!
Add your chicken bones and veggie scraps into the Instant Pot. Season with a combination peppercorns, kosher salt, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Add ten cups of cold water, being careful not to go over the maximum level marked on the Instant Pot.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and put the vent in the sealed position. Set the cook time using the manual setting for 45 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally — around thirty minutes. At this time, you can release the remaining pressure manually.
Produce Moms Tip: To make bone broth, follow the same directions but set your Instant Pot to 120 minutes.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the chicken stock over a large bowl. (If you have a metal strainer insert for your Instant Pot, place it inside the pot before you add the bones and veggies).
Cool the stock by placing the bowl into an ice bath (fill your sink with ice water and then set the bowl down in it). Once it is completely cooled, transfer the stock to a storage container. Homemade chicken stock can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Produce Moms Tip: You can skim off the fat with a spoon before storing if you’d like. If you plan to store your stock in the freezer, we recommend skimming off the fat before freezing.
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
No problem! You can still make homemade chicken stock even if you don’t have an Instant Pot. The only difference is it’ll take quite a bit longer.
Place your chicken bones, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings into a large stockpot. Cover the ingredients with water and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, immediately reduce the heat and bring the stock to a low simmer.
Simmer partially covered for at least four hours or up to eight hours. For the first hour, use a spoon to skim the scum from the stock about every fifteen minutes. Repeat this step every thirty minutes for the next two hours.
To keep the bones and veggies submerged in water, you may need to add hot water to the stockpot throughout the day.
Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the stock into a large bowl. Cool the stock by placing your bowl of stock into an ice bath (again, you can fill your sink with ice water and then place the bowl down in it). Finally, transfer the stock to storage containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
How to use chicken stock
Chicken stock can be used many different ways. Use it as a base for soups or sauces. Chicken stock is ideal for making risotto or braising vegetables. Use it to poach chicken breast for flavorful tacos or to add to salads. Recipes that call for chicken stock are endless!
Ready to get cooking? Use your homemade chicken stock to make Spicy Apple and Sweet Potato Soup.
Can I adapt this recipe using turkey?
Absolutely! Use the same method to create the stock but substitute turkey carcass and bones for the chicken.
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- chicken carcass and/or chicken bones
- 3 cups vegetable scraps celery, carrots, onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 10 peppercorns
- 10 cups cold water
Instructions
- OPTIONAL: Place strainer insert into Instant Pot.
- Place chicken bones, vegetable scraps, herbs, and seasoning into the Instant Pot and cover with water. Do not surpass the maximum fill line on the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and put the vent in the sealed position. Set the cook time using the manual setting for 45 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally — around thirty minutes. At this time, you can release the remaining pressure manually.
- Strain the chicken stock over a large bowl.
- Cool the stock by placing your bowl of stock into an ice bath (you can fill your sink with ice water and then place the bowl down in it). Once it is completely cooled, transfer the stock to a storage container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now that you know how to make your own chicken stock, will you give it a try? Let us know in the comments below or tag us in your recipe photos on Instagram @theproducemoms.
