Chicken Bone Broth (Instant Pot)

This Chicken Bone Broth in Instant Pot is “Better Than Botox”. It is full of natural collagen and contains several health benefits yet is simple to make at home and saves a lot of money. Sip daily or use to cook stews or our Grandma’s chicken soup!

I don’t know about you but I don’t pay $7-10 for a large cup of chicken broth on the go when I can easily make my own and freeze for up to 3 months, saving big bucks.

Anytime I want a cup, I just have to heat it up on the stovetop or microwave.

I also prefer over those store-bought cartooned broths that are full of preservatives and high in sodium and fat. Cooking a homemade chicken broth, you take control of what is in, avoiding worsen health issues. This means you can prepare a low sodium chicken broth that will not elevate your blood pressure.

When you see here how simple is to make it in the pressure cooker, you will never reach out to one on the shelves or tea/coffee shop.

Let’s prepare this culinary marvel together!

What’s chicken bone broth?

It is not the same as simple chicken broth or stock!

In fact, chicken bone broth is a hybrid between broth and stock. It uses a combination of meat and bones, having a solid chicken base. It is thicker than broth but not as thick as stock!

You can cook bone broth for a long or short period of time, depending on the cooking method used. I used the Instant Pot to shorten its time but you can simmer on the stovetop for about 24 hours.

The goals is to extract the gelatin (collagen) and other nutritious compounds and minerals such as glucosamine, amino acids, electrolytes, and calcium.

You can sip chicken bone broth or you can use it to cook chicken broth soup, stews, and more. 

Homemade chicken broth benefits   

There are many benefits to make and drink bone broth:

1. To start, you know what it is in when making your own! Preservatives, high sodium, and MSG are ruled out!
2. It is nutritious: Rich with essential fatty acids, protein, and minerals like iron.
3. It may help build and repair healthy muscle, bone, skin, and blood cells plus improve joint pain. 
4. Broth may reduce inflammation and heal the gut (good for the digestive tract).
5. Bone broth may boost the immune system and aid in sleep.
6. It is a natural source of collagen which is key to youthful skin.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken parts (bones and necks) – because you prepared chicken bone broth, we used a combination of meat (necks) and bones (chicken carcass). If you prefer, you can replace the necks with backbones, chicken feet, wings, wingtips, or other connective tissue which are bony meat pieces. You can also section and cook with a whole chicken. It's up to you! After eating a roast chicken, save the carcass or bones in a freezer bag to make a broth later.
• Vegetables – use a mirepoix or a simple mix of carrots, onion, and celery to prepare this Instant Pot bone broth.
• Aromatics – I used fresh rosemary and parsley plus bay leaf but you can use any fresh herb(s) you have at home. 
• Seasonings – Salt and black peppercorns are enough to season the broth but if you prefer, you can add up to a tablespoon of garlic powder for a tastier bone broth. If you are simmering it up to 24 hours, add little salt because the liquid will be greatly reduced. It is easier to add more salt later adjusting to your taste than removing it from the broth.    

What’s the difference between Chicken Broth, Chicken Bone Broth, and Chicken Stock?

Each consists of a liquid made from chicken parts but they are not the same although related. They are often referred to as synonyms but they are different things.

Chicken Broth – a light and flavorful liquid made from chicken meat and vegetables simmered or cooked in water for a shorter period of time (45 minutes to 2 hours). After cooking, the liquid is strained and the solids discarded. Because it not as thick or gelatinous as stock, it is more suitable for drinking although you can also use it to cook soups and stews. When chilled, it stays fluid.

Chicken bone broth – it is a hybrid between broth and stock and so it uses a combination of meat and bones, having a solid chicken base. The reason why I used chicken bones from the carcass and added chicken necks which are bony meat. But you can add wings, wing tips, or backbones instead. I like to buy the cheapest bony piece of meat to prepare mine and save money. Bone broth can be cooked for a long or short period of time, depending on the cooking method used. I used the Instant Pot to shorten its time but you can simmer on the stovetop for about 24 hours. The goal is to extract the gelatin (collagen) and other nutritious compounds and minerals such as glucosamine, amino acids, electrolytes, and calcium. It is thicker than broth but not as thick as stock.

Chicken stock -- made mostly from leftover bones (often roasted) and the little scraps of meat attached plus vegetables cooked in enough water. It is gelatinous and more suitable for cooking soups, rice, sauces, risotto, pasta, and stews.

As you can see, they differ in some ingredients, cooking time, and thickness. 

Store-Bought Chicken Base vs. Chicken Bouillon

Chicken base is a highly concentrated chicken stock. 

On the other hand, chicken bouillon is a highly concentrated chicken broth that has been dehydrated and sold as bouillon cubes, powder, or granules, often containing MSG and a lot of sodium.

How to make chicken bone broth in Instant Pot

1. In a 6-qt. Instant Pot, combine chicken, carrots, celery, onion, parsley, bay leaf, rosemary, salt, and peppercorns. Then, add cold water (no more than max fill line)! SEE PIC. 1
2. Lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and adjust the timer manually for 45 minutes or press the soup button and set the time.
3. When the cooking time comes to an end, do a quick release! SEE PIC. 2
4. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the chicken bone broth through and discard solids. SEE PIC. 3 Stir in apple cider vinegar! SEE PIC. 4 Let cool to room temp and chill in the fridge. After 24 hours, you will be able to scrape the fat layer formed on top with a slotted spoon. Or, skim rendered fat from the surface with a spoon and drink while still warm.

NOTE: If you prefer to make this chicken bone broth in the slow cooker or crock pot, add just 1 teaspoon of salt instead of 1 tablespoon and cook on low for 10-12 hours, or up to 18 hours. If cooking in a large pot over low heat, it has to simmer for a long time (at least 6-8 hours).

If you are vegan, you can cook with this vegan broth powder. 

Store-Bought Broth and Stock

Feel free to buy either because most of the time there is no much difference between manufactured broth and stock. You can use them interchargebly in your recipes. Just add more salt if using stock (has lower sodium) or dilute the broth with water (has more sodium). But nothing compares to the homemade broth!

What if Bone Broth Doesn’t Gel?

When your chicken bone broth gels or get gelatinous is a sign that got plenty of collagen. As you may know, collagen makes make your skin plump, aid your gut, and cushion your joints.

However, don’t worry much if your bone broth doesn’t gel. It is still nutritious and full of minerals and is suitable for drinking and cooking.

The reason why may not contain much gel is the ratio of water to bones is too great, or the quality of your bones may not be as good. For example, factory chickens don’t have as much collagen in their joints and bones as pasture-raised or organic free-range chickens.

Storage

Store this chicken bone broth in an airtight container I the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months using freezer containers/bags or ice cube trays.

How to Freeze Bone Broth

For longer storage, freeze bone broth in ice cube trays, or in silicone ice cube molds and then transfer to freezer bags. It’s much faster than thawing an entire container of bone broth. This is a great

But you may also divide and pour a certain amount into freezer bags and freeze. I usually freeze about 1 to 2 cups of broth in each bag. The larger amount I use to cook and the least to drink. 

How to Use This Instant Pot Chicken Broth Recipe

You can drink chicken bone broth in the late morning and afternoon, like a savory cup of tea. Your Instant Pot will yield about 2.5 to 3 quarts of broth.

It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also swap it in for any recipe that calls for broth or stock.

You can use it in many recipes such as:

• Chicken tortilla soup
• Coconut chicken curry
• Chicken stroganoff
• Tortellini soup

For other Instant Pot recipes and cooking guides, take a look at our article on how a pressure cooker works.

 

PIN & ENJOY! 

 

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