Chicken Broth

Freshly made chicken broth in this version has no salt,
and is flavored with our favorite herbs and vegetables.

The amazing thing about buying a whole chicken is all the ways that you can use it.  This five-pound bird gave me eight cups of delicious broth and eight cups of shredded chicken which I promptly froze in airtight containers for later suppers.  Previously, I published a chicken noodle soup recipe which is an obvious way to use the broth and chicken.  Son #3 is a whiz at making crepes so that is one way to use up the chicken.  Enchiladas is another.  Martha Stewart has an amazing chicken enchilada recipe with spinach, onions, herbs, and sour cream that is to die for.  Chicken salad made a variety of ways such as curried, Waldorf style, or for a sandwich, offers another option.  Boil up some pasta and toss in cooked chicken and jack cheese for a quick meal for kids.  You get the idea.  Versatile and inexpensive, boiling an entire chicken is something every cook should know about.  In the following recipe, all ingredients are approximate.  Use your judgement.  For example, if you don't like carrots, don't add them in.

prep and cook time:  about 1-1/2 hours

10-12 cups water, to cover chicken in the pot
2 large celery stalks, rinsed and sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 whole chicken
Big handful of rinsed and crudely chopped parsley
A couple twists of ground pepper
Salt to taste, optional

a mix of chopped vegetables is the beginning

Add all ingredients to a large stockpot. If you are salt sensitive, don't add the salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least an hour or until the chicken is cooked through.  I don't usually cover this while it is cooking and add more water as needed to cover the chicken.  However, other friends put a lid on their pot and the cooking time seems to move along faster.  It is your choice.  The smells in the kitchen are very homey either way.

not exactly pretty, but underneath it all is tender, moist chicken meat

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the broth and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, discard the bones and skin and package the chicken for future meals.

I purchased this mesh sieve from Target, but any similar one will do

Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove remaining small chicken pieces and vegetable debris.  If you prefer a clear broth, pour it through cook's gauze to filter out the finer residues.

Freeze portions of the broth as you desire and use up fresh broth within five days. 

If anyone has ideas for using left-over chicken, let us know! 

- Kim Fielding