Chicken stock has so many great uses - from braising meats, making pasta sauces, as a soup base, and a personal favorite, risotto. It also saves you from having to buy store bought stock, so you’re saving money!
Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Arrange the chicken bones in an even single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the bones until browned, about 1 hour.
Add the bones to a large stock pot or large Dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cover with water (about 4 quarts / 3.8L of water) and add the parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns.
Bring to a boil over medium heat then lower the temperature and simmer, using a spoon to skim off any scum that rises to the surface and discard it.
Continue to keep at a gentle simmer (just a few small bubbles) for about 6 hours, until reduced by about half. Add additional water as needed.
Once the stock is done, remove from heat and let cool. Use tongs to remove any large bones, then strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding any solids.
Let cool for about an hour then transfer the broth to storage containers or resealable plastic bags and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
Video
Notes
Don’t rush the simmer — gentle, slow simmering draws out maximum flavor and yields a clearer stock without cloudy bits.