This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Stock is the easiest, most economical way to prepare chicken stock at home. Directions for how to make Instant Pot Bone Broth as well.
Turn your kitchen scraps into treasure with this simple recipe for Instant Pot Stock. Made with chicken bones, vegetable scraps, and seasonings, this stock comes together effortlessly and is more flavorful than ANYTHING you can purchase!
So the next time you have chicken bones from an Oven Roasted Rotisserie Chicken, Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken, or even bones from a Roasted Turkey, save them to make the most flavorful bone broth you have ever had!
Probably the number one ingredient I use in my kitchen is Homemade Chicken Stock.
From Creamy Cheesy Chicken and Rice to Chicken Pot Pie, to Potato Soup, I use chicken stock as the base of many meals.
I started making homemade broth decades ago, when I needed to have Gluten-Free, MSG-Free, Corn-Free, and Dairy-Free Stock.
You would think that would be easy to find at the store--well, 15 years ago it wasn't so easy! And while it is easy to find a stock that meets my dietary needs now, I still choose to make my own at home.
Why is Homemade Better?
- More Flavorful. The instant pot really develops the flavors in stock, making it much richer than store-bought stock.
- Economical. Using my frugal tip for using vegetable scraps to make this stock, it can be made essentially for free! Quality stock is at least $2.50 for 4 cups. Considering I use stock several times a week if I purchased stock solely from the store, I would quickly spend a small fortune.
- Quality Control. By making stock or bone broth at home, you know exactly what goes into your stock! No yeast extract, no msg, no caramel color, no gluten. Plus you can control the amount of sodium.
Difference between Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth
Today, I am showing you how to make both Instant Pot Chicken Stock and Instant Pot Bone Broth and the only difference between the recipes is the length of cooking time.
- Broth: A cooking liquid that has been flavored with something (like vegetables, fish, meat, etc). The broth is typically more clear and not simmered as long as stock.
- Stock: Cooking liquid simmered for a long period of time with bones. Stock is typically rich in color.
- Bone Broth: Bone broth is made with bones (which are typically roasted) and simmered for such a long time, that gelatin and trace minerals are released from the bones and the bones are able to be broken or crumble easily after cooking.
You can read more about the technical differences here.
Ingredients Needed
- Water
- Chicken Bones: Use the bones from a roasted chicken, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or even chicken wings. You can also make stock using the bones from a turkey or turkey breast. One tip: While you can use the bones from Homemade Rotisserie Chicken, but use caution and reduce the added salt if you use bones from a store-bought rotisserie chicken or your broth will be WAY too salty!
- Vegetables or Vegetable Scraps: A HUGE money-saving tip is to save the peels from carrots, ends of onions, and celery scraps and store them in a freezer-safe bag to use to make homemade stock. Just be sure to wash your vegetables well before peeling or chopping and add them to your vegetable scrap bag as you accumulate scraps. Of course, you can make this stock with fresh vegetables as well, I provide quantities for both options in the recipe card.
- Seasonings: I use bay, thyme, peppercorns, and salt to season my stock and bone broth. You can use garlic cloves, parsley, ground pepper, or rosemary as well.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- If using a metal strainer insert and place it inside the instant pot. While this makes straining the broth so easy, it is completely unnecessary.
- Place bones of leftover roasted chicken in Instant Pot or strainer.
- Place scraps of carrots, celery, onions, or full vegetables in Instant Pot or strainer.
- Season with salt and herbs.
- Cover with water. Be careful NOT to overfill Instant Pot. You do not want to fill your instant pot more than two-thirds of the way full. It is okay if the bones and stock are not fully covered.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed.
- Cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes for chicken stock and 120 minutes on high pressure for bone broth.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for AT LEAST 30 minutes, before releasing pressure manually. This is so important so your vent knob doesn't spew stock all over your kitchen and you!
- Strain the chicken stock using the strainer insert or a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl.
- Cool before transferring to storage containers.
- Once cooled, refrigerate until fully cooled.
- If desired, skim off any fat with a spoon and discard.
- Store in the fridge for 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Chicken Stock Video
Watch the video below to watch me prepare this chicken stock at home, giving my tips along the way!
Ways to Use Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Use this homemade instant pot chicken stock in any recipe that calls for broth, stock, or bone broth. Below are a few of my favorite Instant Pot Recipes that call for chicken stock.
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Smoked Sausage and Potatoes with Green Beans
Save yourself money and make your meals taste better with this homemade instant pot stock! I hope you enjoy the taste and savings this recipe will deliver to your family!
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 chicken carcass or bones from roasted chicken
- 1 carrot washed and cut into quarters
- 2 large onions peeled and cut in half
- 2 stalks of celery, leaves included cut into quarters
- 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme optional
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 10 cups cold water
Instructions
- If using the strainer insert, place the insert into the inner pot of the instant pot.
- Place the chicken bones, vegetables, herbs, salt and peppercorns in the strainer or directly in the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Pour the water over the scraps. Feel free to add more water, but DO NOT let the water reach above two-thirds of the way full.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed, not venting.
- Set cook time for High Pressure by hitting manual or pressure and using the plus or minus buttons to read 45 minutes for chicken stock and 120 minutes for bone broth.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let naturally release for at least 30 minutes.
- Strain stock and allow to cool slightly before transferring to containers to store.
- Once the stock has cooled and has been refrigerated, you may notice a layer of fat form on top of the stock. Simply use a spoon to skim that off the stock and discard.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Time to Get to Pressure: 20-25 minutes
- Time to Cook: 45 minutes for stock and 120 minutes for bone broth
- Time to Release Pressure: 30 minutes
- Total Time: About 2 hours for stock and 3 hours and 15 minutes for bone broth.
Nutrition
This post has been modified with new tips and a video in 2023 but was originally published in 2017.
Laura
I just made this! It was my first time making chicken stock from scratch, and it was so easy. And simply delectable! I loved being in charge of what went into my stock. I eyeballed the salt and overloaded fresh thyme and some sage leaf stems, and it turned out fantastic! I can't wait to use it in recipes! Thank you for posting this.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed so much Laura.
linda dittrich
After finding this recipe a while back, I haven't bought any store stock/broth. I have two pressure cookers, so I save scraps until I have enough to make 2 batches. I cook one day, refrigerate overnight. Next day I skim off fat, then can. It makes such a difference in flavor!
Thank you for sharing.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad this recipe has not only helped you to save money, but adds great flavor to your dishes.
VERONICA
I am planning to try this very soon! I have a silly question - do I need to thaw the frozen vegetable scraps before starting the Instant Pot? Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
There is no need to thaw your veggie Veronica! Enjoy!
Jenn
Since learning this easy instant pot technique for broth, I'm not sure I'll ever make it any other way! So easy and fuss free. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I am glad you have found this method to be as easy as I do.
Jessica Formicola
I made this over the weekend and it turned out perfectly! I already can't wait to make it again!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad it was a success Jessica
Stephanie DeYoung
used this recipe today to make chicken broth and it was so quick, easy, AND delicious! Thank you! PS- i used the leftover bones from a costco rotisserie chicken and didn't have any issue w it being overly salty.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! And thanks for letting us know it turned out using a Costco chicken--there are so many brands out there that are SUPER salty and if you don't remove every bit of skin/meat it can ruin stock. Costco is a good one though 🙂
Trisha
Thanks for this Chicken quick broth. I use this often. Today I needed this as I’m making chicken marsala later.. 😋As I’m alway in need of chicken broth in my recipes. Quick tip.. I store my veg scraps (end of carrot and slices, ends of celery, skins and tops to garlic and onions, tops of peppers, ect) in a gallon zip lock bag in my freezer.. Never throw them out, they come in handy for this, or adding them to soups.
Thanks again. And thanks for the reviewer on adding Apple cinder vinegar!
Enjoy!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you enjoyed Trisha! And that is exactly what I do with my vegetable scraps.
Joe
Can frozen bones be used and if so, how much does the cook time change?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Joe! I would add 5-10 minutes. And keep in mind it will just take longer for your Instant Pot to come to pressure.
Lindsay
I love your recipes! Thanks for sharing! P.s. you should look into adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to this recipe as it allows the minerals to “come out” of the bones. ❤️
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you so much Lindsay! I am so glad you find my recipes helpful. And I LOVE your tip for adding cider vinegar. Thanks for sharing.
olga
Does the time change if you are using raw bones rather than those from a carcass?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Olga. The cook time will be the same. Enjoy!
Ingrid
Love this recipe! I used to discard the carrot peelings and the ends of the celery stalk but love the tips to throw them in soup. I just scrubbed the carrots and thoroughly washed the end of the stalk. Love being able to use everything and reduce waste. I also used the rotisserie chicken carcass after making chicken salad with the meat that was left. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad these tips helped you put those scraps to good use Ingrid! Thank you for sharing!
Shelly Miller
Instead of fresh water for the stock can I use the leftover fluid from making the rotisserie chicken previously?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes absolutely Shelly!
Sharon Papastathis
This entire article has been very beneficial, this is the first time I’ve interested in using the instapot for an entire chicken. Up until now I’ve just mainly trying to learn HOW to feel comfortable with it.
Right now I have just followed your instructions and I have enjoyed every minute. My sister hesitates do try anything and only has garlic powder ,wait and pepper for seasoning. We’re in our eighties,have just lost our husbands, I did send her an instapot To her several months ago, what a fun hobby this will be for her.
Thank you so much for your instructions and I’m definitely looking forward to other recipes that you might provided
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sharon! I am so glad you found my site and found it helpful! I have to chuckle because my sister refuses to add garlic and pepper herself! I wish you all the best as you experiment with more recipes 🙂
Lili
Do you wash the carotts before you peel, since you reuse the peels and thy can be dirty, chemicals on them, soil, etc. Some question for celery base. Do you use pelled or unpelled garlic also? Thank you.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lili! I wash all my produce before peeling, regardless of if I am using peels for stock or not. That way it ensures I remove any dirt, residue, etc. As for garlic, peeled or unpeeled is fin, but but I use peeled.
Jo from Australia
Hi Kristen, many thanks for the reply, from now on I shall minus the carrot. However I have also had my pure bone broth at times go bitter which has had no added vegetable matter. Any ideas why this may happen? What makes it more perplexing is that it doesn't always happen
Kristen Chidsey
This is perplexing to me as well. Vegetables can make bone broth bitter--due to long cook time. I will have to research it a bit to see if I come up with anything. My only other thought off the top of my head is that is may be the flavor from the bay leaf.
Chad
I have made stocks, broth, bone broth etc on stove for years. Like many sauces, putting in herbs at the beginning of a long simmer (such as tomato sauce) will cause bitterness.
I used to go up to 72 hours with bone broths/stocks ensuring nothing ever boils, but remains at safe temps, until the bones would crush and dissolve, getting all the marrow in etc. Past 48 hours, I've encountered bitter broths.
WIth the instant pot, I do 45 mins, with carrot onion celery, and any other veggies that may be going bad soon in fridge, Then I kind of crush the bones the best I can with the end of a meat tenderizer after the initial pressure cook for 45 minutes.. Then I add in herb type stuff and hit it again for 15 minutes in instant pot. Then filter through screen and fridge overnight, then remove the congealed grease from the top. The stock/broth should end up pretty gelled, which is a great sign. I like to butterfly chickens and turkeys and basically cut out the spine for use in stock/broth along with everything else scraps wise, (gizzards, neck, ribs, even skin)and even some meat sticking to bones, the stuff that won't get eaten anyway. I then also crush the bones again and stir up before the filtering stage and before the fridge stage just to ensure I get any marrow bits from the bones etc. Then we bag in 1 cup and 2 cup increments for sauces etc calling for 1 cup liquid etc. For soup we just add as many bags as we need plus water since the broth is sooooooo rich.
Jo from Australia
at times my stock can go very bitter do you know any reason why this may happen? It does not happen every time
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jo! Bitterness may happen from some your vegetables or peels. Carrot are usually the culprit (but if you use broccoli stems or asparagus stems they may be the reason, as well). Small carrots are sweeter, while larger carrots can at times be bitter. If you have particularly large carrots, I would omit the stem from the stock. Hope that helps.