Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Chicken Stock

Total time4 hr 15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time3 hr 30 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Chicken Stock

Store-bought broths and stocks are one of the sneakiest sources of artificial dyes and synthetic additives in the kitchen — caramel color, yellow 5, and various "natural flavor" blends can all hide in that innocent-looking carton. Making your own from scratch puts you completely in control of every single thing going into the pot. This recipe builds deep, golden flavor the honest way: chicken bones, aromatics, fresh herbs, and time. The blanching step at the start is a smart move that pulls out impurities before the long simmer even begins, giving you a cleaner, clearer result. A low, gentle heat over three hours coaxes out rich body and that unmistakable savory warmth without any shortcuts. Once you strain it and skim the fat, what you're left with is a pure, wholesome base that works beautifully in soups, sauces, risottos, or anywhere else a good stock is called for. Batch-cook it, freeze it in portions, and you'll always have something genuinely clean on hand.

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Ingredients

8 servings

3 lb chicken bones and carcass (or a whole 3–4 lb chicken, cut into pieces)
2 medium yellow onions, quartered (skin on)
Large Yellow Onion Organic Yellow Onions Kroger® Yellow Onions in 3lb Bag Oragnic Yellow Onions Yellow Onions
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3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
12 cups cold water
1 tsp salt

Instructions

1
Place the chicken bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain and rinse the bones under cold running water to remove any grey foam or impurities. Rinse the pot clean.
2
Return the blanched bones to the clean pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and salt. Pour in the 12 cups of cold water — the water should cover the bones by at least 1 inch; add more if needed.

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