BHA & BHT Free Homemade Chicken Bone Broth
Rich, golden, and deeply savory, this homemade chicken bone broth is the kind of kitchen project that makes your whole house smell incredible. Store-bought broths and stocks are notorious for sneaking in synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, which makes them a frustrating option if you're trying to keep your pantry clean. Making it from scratch with real bones, fresh vegetables, and simple aromatics means you know exactly what's in every cup. The apple cider vinegar step is a quiet workhorse here ā it draws minerals out of the bones during a 20-minute rest before the heat even turns on, giving the finished broth a light, slightly viscous body that no carton can replicate. A slow, lazy simmer and careful skimming keep the liquid clear and clean-tasting, with fresh thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and optional ginger rounding out the flavor naturally. Once strained and chilled, it stores beautifully and works as a base for soups, braises, sauces, or just a warming mug on a cold afternoon. This is the kind of recipe you make once and then wonder how you ever relied on the packaged stuff.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
- 3 lb chicken bones and carcasses (backs, necks, wings, or a mix)
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 10ā12 cups cold water, or enough to cover by 1 inch
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken bones in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drain and rinse the bones under cold running water, discarding the blanching liquid. Wipe out the pot. This step removes impurities that would cloud the finished broth.
- 2
Return the rinsed bones to the clean pot. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and ginger (if using). Pour in enough cold water to cover everything by about 1 inch (10ā12 cups). Let the pot sit, uncovered, for 20 minutes ā the vinegar begins drawing minerals from the bones during this rest.
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