Homemade Chicken Broth with Herbs
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A homemade chicken broth using a whole chicken minus skin, simmered slowly with garlic, onion, fresh thyme and rosemary, bay leaves, star anise replacing clove, white peppercorns, and salt. The broth cooks just over an hour and a half, strained, then cooled to separate the fat before storage. Quantity adjusted to 2.5 liters of broth from 1.8 kg chicken. Slightly longer cooking time but less intense simmering. Fat removed after chilling. Simple, clear, aromatic broth without nuts, gluten, dairy, or eggs.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
9 cups
#chicken broth
#broth
#homemade stock
#herbs
#slow cooking
#clear broth
#French-inspired
Chicken broth. Clear, slow simmered. Skin removed so less fat floating around. Garlic and onion rough chopped for background aroma. Sprigs of thyme and rosemary swap out parsley—adds piney notes instead. Bay leaves usual army, but star anise replaces clove to lend faint sweetness and complexity. White peppercorns not black, softer bite. Skin off, helps broth clarity. Simmer just over an hour and a half, the slow coaxing of flavor. Foam skimmed off because murkiness unwanted. Meat removed after simmer, bones and aromatics discarded. Broth strained fine, cooled, chilled to collect fat sitting atop. Fat scooped off easy once cold. Fat can be kept or tossed. Broth good for soups, risottos, sauces. Not gluten, nut, dairy, or egg. Pure clear essence.
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg whole chicken, skin removed
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise pod
- 5 ml (1 tsp) salt
- 5 ml (1 tsp) white peppercorns
- 2.5 liters cold water
About the ingredients
Using whole chicken weights approximately 1.8 kilograms, fewer than original 2kg, lowers broth fat slightly while keeping depth. Skin removal mandatory for less oily broth with better clarity. Increased garlic cloves add subtle pungency without overpowering. Swapping parsley with rosemary gives pine resin notes supporting thyme’s earthiness. Star anise brings soft sweet licorice note instead of a sharp clove punch—love or hate, it twists traditional base flavor. White peppercorns are selected for gentle kick, less harsh than black. Three liters water turned down to 2.5 liters prevents dilution, concentrates richness. Salt retained as 5 ml for basic seasoning but adjusts in final dishes. Onion cut larger pieces for easier removal and minimal release of harsh sulfur compounds. The list balances aromatic complexity with purity and clarity.
Method
- Add chicken, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, star anise, salt, white peppercorns, to large pot.
- Pour 2.5 liters cold water over ingredients.
- Heat to boiling over medium heat.
- Lower heat to maintain gentle simmer for 1 hour and 35 minutes.
- Occasionally skim foam and impurities from surface.
- Remove pot from heat. Lift chicken out. Set chicken aside to cool slightly.
- Discard solids: onion, garlic, herbs, star anise.
- Strain broth through fine mesh sieve into large bowl.
- Allow broth to cool until lukewarm, then refrigerate until fat solidifies on surface, about 2 hours.
- Remove fat layer carefully and discard or save for cooking.
- Use broth immediately or freeze in portions.
Cooking tips
First, all ingredients into a large stockpot cold water on top helps better extraction. Heat rises, flavors seep gently. No rapid boiling—avoid agitation that emulsifies fat. Just until just bubble break surface, low simmer is key. Keep skimmed impurities away for translucency. One hour thirty-five minutes is sweet spot, slightly more than original to coax gentle extraction from swapped aromatics. Once done, chicken pulled out with tongs, meat reserved. Bones and used aromatics discarded, flavor spent. Next step: strain broth through fine sieve or cheesecloth—clarity desired. Cooling to lukewarm prevents quick fat solidification but readies fridge chilling. Two hours in refrigerator solidifies top fat layer, easy to remove with spoon. Degreasing sharpens flavor, less greasy mouthfeel. Fat may be kept for future cooking, richness in sauces or roasted vegetables. Freeze broth in portions for practical use, defrost as needed. Clear broth foundation for countless dishes.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use cold water over all ingredients. Helps flavors seep nice and slow. Avoids quick protein denature. Start with skinless chicken to keep broth less oily. Skim foam during simmering often. Foam traps impurities making broth murky. Do not boil hard. Keep gentle simmer bubbles barely breaking surface. Longer simmer extracts more flavor but breaks meat down less harshly.
- 💡 Garlic cloves halved, onion quartered large. Easier to remove later. Large pieces reduce sulfur compound release, less bite. Swap parsley with fresh rosemary sprigs to get piney, resinous notes that support thyme’s earthiness. Bay leaves standard but star anise replaces clove for subtle sweet licorice tone. White, not black peppercorns—gentler heat, fewer peppery oils clouding broth clarity.
- 💡 Remove skin from chicken whole before cooking. Significantly cuts broth fat for clearer liquid. Cool broth to lukewarm before fridge chilling. Hot broth changes fat consistency, melts fat into broth making skimming tough. Chill 2 hours minimum for fat solid layer to form. Scooping fat off cold broth easier, sharper taste, less greasy mouthfeel. Save fat for sauté or roasting veggies or discard.
- 💡 Strain broth through fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for clarity. No solids, no bits floating. Can cool broth in shallow containers to speed chilling. Portion into freezer bags or containers while fresh. Smaller portions thaw quicker, reduce waste. Use leftover cooked chicken meat for soups or other dishes. Bones no longer have flavor, discard or compost. Aromatics left behind no longer needed.
- 💡 Simmer just over an hour and a half. Longer cooking extracts subtle notes from herbs and star anise without bitterness. Keep lid off or cracked open occasionally for evaporation control, concentration. Foam forms mostly first 30 minutes, skim often early. After removing chicken, discard solids fully. Aromatics done giving flavor, too earthy or bitter if left too long. Cooling gradually helps clarity, flavor retention.
Common questions
Why remove chicken skin?
Skin traps fat. More fat means cloudy broth and greasy surface. Skin off reduces fat output. Keeps broth clear. Also less oily taste. Fat removed after chilling easier, but less total fat with skin off. Skipping skin means broth less heavy overall.
Can I substitute star anise?
Cloves or cinnamon possible but stronger flavors. Star anise softens base taste adds licorice-like sweet touch. Parsley swap changes herb profile. Thyme and rosemary more piney, earthy. Changes broth character quite a bit. Adjust simmer time slightly if you change aromatics. Watch bitterness with stronger spices.
How to store broth properly?
Cool to lukewarm first. Then fridge covers for 2 hours or more to solidify fat. Remove fat or keep. Use airtight containers or freeze portions. Freeze lasts months if sealed. Thaw in fridge overnight or gently heat. Use clear broth within 4-5 days refrigerated. Fat off gives longer fridge life. Label containers with date. Avoid room temp storage more than 2 hrs.
How to prevent cloudy broth?
Start cold water. Slow heat rise, low simmer. No rolling boil. Skim foam frequently. Remove skin and fat after chilling. Strain twice through fine mesh. Cool broth before refrigerating. Protect from agitation during cooking. Use whole herbs, large veggie pieces avoid break down adding cloudiness. Patience matters more than speed.
