Homemade chicken bone broth is made by simmering roasted chicken bones with filtered water, apple cider vinegar, and aromatics for 12 hours to extract maximum collagen and flavor. The result is a gelatin-rich, deeply flavorful broth that freezes beautifully and works in any savory application.
Check what you already have. We'll leave it off your shopping list.
CookOS may earn a commission from Instacart orders.
Prices vary by store
*Service fees apply. Instacart® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.
To a large pot or Dutch oven, add the bones leftover from a whole roasted chicken (including legs and wings that may have been on the serving platter), or the bones from 1 chicken purchased from a butcher. (Note: This can also be done in a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot.)We also like adding the lemon wedges and rosemary that were cooked with our whole roasted chicken (optional).
Top with filtered water until generously covered (about 12 cups / 2880 ml). This should reduce down by about 1/3 or 1/2, leaving you with 6-8 cups of bone broth.
Next, add in a bit of salt and pepper to season the broth (you can add more later to taste).
Then add apple cider vinegar, which is added primarily because the acidity breaks down the collagen and makes it more abundant in the broth. You can also sub lemon juice, but we prefer apple cider vinegar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for at least 10-12 hours, or until reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. The more it reduces, the more intense the flavor will become and the more collagen will be extracted. We find 12 hours to be about right.
Strain and discard the bones. Either use immediately or store in glass jars and freeze up to 1-2 months or more. Just be sure to leave a couple inches at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.Note: Bone broth typically gelatinizes when refrigerated because of the collagen content. But don't worry — that's normal. When reheated it liquifies once again, just like store-bought chicken broth.
Store in glass jars in the freezer for 1–2 months or longer, leaving 2 inches of headspace; refrigerated broth will gel when cool but liquifies when reheated.
large pot or Dutch oven · Crock-Pot or Instant Pot (optional alternative)
The acidity breaks down collagen, making it more abundant and bioavailable in the finished broth. Lemon juice is an acceptable substitute.
Simmer for at least 10–12 hours. Longer simmering intensifies flavor and extracts more collagen. Reduce by 1/3 to 1/2 of the original volume.
Yes. The recipe works in a large pot, Dutch oven, Crock-Pot, or Instant Pot—adjust timing as needed for your appliance.
Yes, that's the collagen at work. It's a sign of quality. It will liquify again when reheated.
Frozen bone broth keeps 1–2 months or longer in glass jars. Leave 2 inches of headspace at the top to allow for expansion.
