Easy Small Batch Chicken Stock

This Easy Small-Batch Chicken Stock Recipe is rich in chicken flavor, and makes the perfect amount when cooking a favorite dish for two people.  Plus, you will have homemade stock and poached chicken meat ready to use in a favorite soup or casserole recipe later in the week – a two for one! 

During the winter, I start making and baking our favorite comfort dishes of soups, stews and casseroles.   And many of those recipes include chicken and chicken stock. 

Many of my “keeper” recipes as well use chicken stock, such as  One-Pot Chicken and Orzo, Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders or Turkey Chili For Two.  I have tried it in just about every recipe in which I previously used purchased chicken stock or broth with success.

JUMP TO THE SECTION TO LEARN:

• INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK
• SMALL-BATCH STEP-BY STEP-INSTRUCTIONS
• COOKING FOR TWO?  HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE CHICKEN STOCK
• A FEW THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF WHEN FREEZING CHICKEN STOCK
• TIPS FOR USING LEFT-OVER CHICKEN MEAT
• RATE THE RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CHICKEN STOCK

Here's what you need:

• Chicken - you can use chicken thighs, breasts or any combination.
• Water (or chicken stock for a richer stock).
• leeks
• fennel bulb
• Celery
• Yellow onion
• Garlic 
• Thyme, bay leaf and parsley

SMALL-BATCH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Combine Ingredients and Simmer

Step 1:  Gather all your ingredients.

Step 2: Combine and Simmer

Combine all the ingredients in a stockpot and cover.  Making sure you have enough water or stock in the pot to cover the chicken and most of the vegetables and spices (2 - 3 quarts).  Cover and bring the stock to a boil.  

Uncover and reduce the heat to simmer for about 1-½ hours.

Strain and Store

Step 3: Remove from heat.  Remove the chicken from the pot and reserve for another use.  See below for how to use leftover chicken meat.  

Strain the liquid into another pot or large measuring cup, discarding the solids.

COOKING FOR TWO? HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE CHICKEN STOCK

Once the broth has been cooled and strained, if I don’t have an immediate use for it, I will freeze it.  I have tried several ways to freeze stock but have found freezing it in these mason jars the best.  

Stock freezes perfectly for at least 6 months.

Another option is to use resealable freezer bags.  I lay the filled and sealed bags onto a cookie sheet so they freeze flat (that way you can stack them in your freezer and they don’t take up a lot of space).  

Don’t forget to label the bag along with a date.

A FEW THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF WHEN FREEZING CHICKEN STOCK

Avoid overfilling or underfilling the container.

Resist the temptation to fill the container to the brim!

Liquids expand when they freeze, so if the container is filled to the top, you risk the soup breaking through the container.  On the other hand, underfilling the container, leaves more air inside increasing the potential for freezer burn.

Do this:  Leave about an inch of space between the soup and the container’s lid.  That is enough expansion room while limiting air contact.

Defrosting and reheating the stock.

When a recipe calls for chicken stock, defrost the stock during the day in the refrigerator, empty into a saucepan and warm gently over low stove heat until it begins to simmer for at least one minute before using or eating.   

And yes, you can refreeze leftover stock once it's been thawed, re-boiled and cooled.

Do this:  While the soup is reheating – begin preparing the rest of your soup, stew or casserole.

TIPS FOR USING LEFT-OVER CHICKEN MEAT

Once the chicken from the stock is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones using your hands and reserve for another use.  The breast meat, is best when diced with a knife to make equal 1-inch pieces.

This chicken meat works great in the following recipes for two:

• Chicken pesto salad
• Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole
• Chicken with Pasta and Dried Cherries
• Switch out the turkey with this chicken and make  Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup (but with chicken)

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #ourtable42.