Our Family's Chicken Broth Recipe

Introduction

Every great story has an origin, for Souper Cubes, it starts with a steaming pot of golden chicken broth. This is the recipe that inspired our original Souper Cubes 1-cup tray. This recipe is a refined version of Michelle’s mom’s legendary broth. Whether you're a meal-prep pro or a freezer-stocking novice, this broth is the ultimate foundation for your kitchen.

Why You'll Love This Our Families Chicken Broth Recipe

Easy & efficient - Toss it in the pot and let the stove do all the heavy lifting.

Family-friendly - Clean and nutrient dense base that everyone will love.

Perfect for leftovers or meal prep - Having 1-cup portions ready to go to add as components to recipes or enjoy on its own.

Customizable -  Use what you have in the vegetable drawer to make it your own.

Freezer-friendly - This is designed to be frozen into individual portions so that it’s easy to reheat the exact amount you need later on.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This broth is best when the marrow bones are roasted to give it a bolder, richer flavor. Using a whole chicken is the core of this recipe and by using the whole bird you get better flavor balance and maximum collagen release giving a rich, silky mouthfeel. Adding the core ingredients like onions, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf, give it the classic depth and flavor to give the best flavor and most aromatics. The addition of parsnip and parsley help provide some freshness. 

How to Make our Family’s Freezer-Friendly Chicken Broth Step-by-Step

Roast your bones - The journey to the perfect broth begins with a little bit of heat and a lot of patience. First, preheat your oven to 450°F. While the oven warms up, place your beef marrow bones on a large-rimmed baking sheet. This "extra" step is what gives the broth its signature depth and rich, golden hue. Roast the bones for about 20 minutes, making sure to flip them halfway through. Once they're ready, carefully transfer those sizzling bones into a large, 8-quart stock pot.

Combine Ingredients - Into that same large pot, add your whole chicken, onions, celery, carrots, parsnip, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, salt & pepper. You’ll want to pour in enough water (about 4 quarts) so that the ingredients are submerged by at least one inch.

Simmer in pot - Now, bring the entire pot to a rolling boil. This is the stage where you’ll see some "scum" or impurities rise to the top; take a few minutes to skim those off with a spoon to ensure a clean finish. Once the surface looks clear, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cover the pot. Let it gently bubble away for about 1 hour. Remove the whole bird and remove the breast meat for later use and place the remaining part of the chicken and juices back into the pot. You’ll know it’s done when the liquid has deepened in color, reduced slightly, and smells incredible.

Strain the solids - Carefully strain the solids from the liquid using a fine-mesh strainer into a large heat-safe bowl or another pot. What you’re left with is homemade nourishment ready to be portioned out and frozen for your next recipe.

Pro Tips for Reheating Frozen Chicken Broth

You can reheat your frozen chicken broth by placing it in a pot over a low heat or reheating directly in a microwave. When we are reheating 1-2 cups of broth, we like to place it in one of our ceramic baking dishes and reheat in the microwave with the silicone cover on but vented. If we’re reheating 3 or more cups of frozen broth, we like to place it in a small pot over low heat on the stovetop. If you’re using the broth to add to a soup base, you can place it directly frozen.

FAQ

How Do I Get Rid of Impurities in the Bones to Make My Broth Clear?

Cloudy broth is still tasty, but a clear, golden-toned broth is the mark of a pro. There are two primary ways to handle the impurities that rise to the top.

Parboil the bones - We use this method when working with a lot of beef bones. Place bones in cold water, boil for 5 minutes, and skim the top. Discard the water, rinse the bones, and continue on with roasting the bones.

Boil & Skim - Place all the ingredients into the pot and bring to a boil. Let it boil for about 5 minutes, using a large spoon, skim off the foam that rises to the surface. Once the surface looks clean, reduce the heat to a low simmer.  PRO TIP: To keep broth clear, do not stir the pot while it simmers, stirring breaks up the particles and creates a cloudy look.

How do I know How Much Water to Add?

Since every pot is a bit different, the water in this recipe is a suggestion based on the ingredients and 8-quart stock pot. A good rule of thumb is to put all the ingredients in the pot and then fill the pot with enough water to cover all the ingredients by at least one inch. If you don’t add enough water, add more during the cooking process. If you added too much water, then the broth will be more diluted, just plan on simmering without the lids for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Can I substitute vegetables, spices or herbs in this recipe?

We always include onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf in our standard chicken broth but other option vegetables we use are parsnip, mushrooms, and ginger.

How do I make this vegetarian?

Eliminate the beef bones and the chicken and double the carrots, onions, celery and consider adding dried mushrooms or kombu for savory umami kick.

How long can I keep the broth in the refrigerator?

Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to freeze Our Family’s Chicken Broth recipe in Souper Cubes Trays?

Our favorite way to freeze broth is with Souper Cubes 1-cup tray. First, pour the broth into the desired Souper Cubes trays up to the fill line. Place the lid on top once the broth has been fully cooled. 

Label the lid with our labeling tape or water-based paint makers.

Set the tray flat in your freezer and stack remaining trays on top and freeze overnight. Once the broth is frozen solid you can leave your broth in the Souper Cube trays, but then that ties up your trays for freezing other meals until you use the broth. 

We suggest transferring the broth of each well to a freezer-safe zipper bag, reusable bag or Souper Cubes Vacuum Sealed Bags for longer storage.

How long does Our Family’s Chicken Broth recipe last in the freezer?

We say 3-4 months for optimal freshness. However, as long as it has been consistently frozen, it’s safe to eat indefinitely. For longer term storage, transfer frozen cubes from trays to a vacuum sealed bag for best results and to prevent freezer burn.

What recipes can I use the chicken broth or poached chicken breasts in?

Check out our other Souper Cubes Recipes and specifically Pozole Verde de pollo, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Tortilla Soup.