Recipe

Essential Chicken Broth

Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Serves: 4

As versatile kitchen staple, use this flavour booster as a base for soups, sauces and stir-fries. For a more intensely flavoured broth, return to the boil after straining, and reduce by a third.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
4 lbs (1.9 kg) chicken parts
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2 celery ribs with leaves, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 sprigs parsley
salt, to taste
2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 whole cloves
8 black peppercorns
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried thyme
1 bay leaf

Vietnamese-style Broth Variation:

Simply replace the last five ingredients with the following seasonings.
2 star anise
1 tsp (5 mL) fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh chopped ginger
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced

Instructions

1 Place all the ingredients in a large stockpot and add 8 cups (2 L) cold water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming away any foam that surfaces.
2 Simmer uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, adding more water if necessary to barely cover.
3 Carefully strain out all the solids, using a colander over a large bowl. Strain again through a fine strainer if desired. Add salt to taste.
4 Skim off fat from the top, or chill overnight. The solidified fat can then be easily lifted off.