Make Rich Chicken Broth from a Rotisserie Chicken in 30 Minutes

When I was growing up, my grandmother would tell me not to waste food because there were starving children in Africa. I always found that odd since we lived in South Africa, but the message stuck: don’t waste food. In my household, leftovers and scraps were repurposed. Vegetable trimmings fed the pigeons and meat scraps were used for the dogs. That upbringing made me frugal with groceries and careful about planning meals around key ingredients.

One of the most economical and useful items I buy is a whole rotisserie chicken. It provides ready-cooked meat for several meals and leaves a carcass that makes an excellent, nutritious bone broth. Bone broth is flavorful, versatile and surprisingly easy to prepare.

Tips:

Freeze uncooked chicken bones until you have enough to make a batch of broth. Using a whole rotisserie chicken carcass—including skin and the gelatinous juices left in the container—gives the broth great flavor and body.

After making a large pot of broth, cool it and freeze portions in containers so you can thaw only what you need. A pressure cooker or Instant Pot speeds up the process and reduces evaporation; simmering on the stovetop works too, but it takes longer and you may lose more liquid.

Use the entire carcass, skin and gelatinous juices for the broth base.

After cooking, you’ll likely see a layer of fat on top. Because most of the flavor comes from the skin, the broth will taste rich but also contain fat. Cool the broth—ideally overnight in the refrigerator—until the fat solidifies, then skim it off with a spoon.

A well-made bone broth should be gelatinous when cooled, a sign that collagen and minerals have been extracted from the bones. Use this broth as the base for a chicken vegetable soup, a Chinese-style chicken soup, or any recipe that calls for a flavorful, nourishing stock.

Cooled chicken broth with a visible fat layer.

Chicken broth after the fat layer has been skimmed.

CHICKEN BONE BROTH

Don’t waste your rotisserie chicken—make a nutritious, tasty bone broth from the carcass.

Equipment

• Pressure cooker or Instant Pot (recommended) or a large pot for stovetop simmering

Ingredients

• Whole rotisserie chicken carcass (include skin, bones and any gelatinous juices from the container)
• 950 ml water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 bay leaf (optional, for extra flavor)

Instructions

1. Place the chicken carcass, including skin and any gelatinous juices, into the pressure cooker or a large pot.
2. Add the sea salt and the bay leaf if using.
3. Pour in 950 ml of water and cover.
4. If using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. If using a stovetop pot, simmer gently on very low heat for about 1 hour.
5. Let the broth cool. Refrigerate overnight if possible to allow the fat to congeal, then skim off the solidified fat.
6. Store in portions in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for longer storage. Reheat and use as a base for soups, stews, or cooking grains.

Nutrition

Serving size: 1 cup · Calories: 50 kcal

Keywords: Chicken bones, Chicken broth