Homemade Chicken Broth

I was chatting with my sister the other day, and we were talking about finding ways to eat cleaner, and healthier without it being too stressful. Joe and I eat soup at least once a week, and I know that store bought chicken bouillon can contain a lot of sodium, so my sister suggested making my own chicken broth.

At first the thought of making your own broth may sound intense, and I think I felt that way initially, but after making my first batch, I was pleasantly surprised as to how easy it actually was. And I was excited to use fresh herbs from my garden, yay!

I used the carcass from a Rotisserie chicken from our enchilada dinner the night before (post is up on the blog under recipes). I love using all parts of something, making sure that nothing goes to waste. So, I am very excited to share this with you.

Ingredients

Rotisserie Chicken Carcass
2 medium carrots (1 inch pieces)
2 medium celery stalks (2 inch pieces)
1 medium onion (cut into 4 wedges)
2 bay leaves
4 garlic peeled chips (hold end of the knife sideways and crush each chip before placing into pot for best flavor)
a bunch of chopped dill
a bunch of chopped parsley
basil leaves (optional) (I used 4 leaves)
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
8-10 peppercorns
10 cups of water
3-4 boiling cups of water (to add as needed)
11-12 (8 oz.) mason jars or 6 (16 oz.) mason jars (to freeze chicken stock for up to 3 months)

Directions

Place the Rotisserie chicken carcass into a large pot. Add carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, garlic chips, dill, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.
Cover with water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 3-4 hours (Add 1 (8oz.) boiling cup of water, every hour)
Strain over a large bowl or pot of all vegetables, and carcass.
Broth can be used immediately, stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months (I froze the broth for future use in 8 oz. mason jars).