Citric Acid Free Homemade Chicken Bone Broth
Rich, golden, and deeply savory, this homemade chicken bone broth is the kind of kitchen project that rewards patience with something genuinely nourishing. For anyone avoiding citric acid, store-bought broths and stocks can be a minefield ā preservatives, natural flavors, and acidic additives sneak into nearly every carton on the shelf. This recipe keeps things clean and straightforward, relying on chicken bones, fresh vegetables, herbs, and a splash of apple cider vinegar to do all the heavy lifting. That vinegar rest before the simmer is a smart trick that draws minerals from the bones without introducing any problematic ingredients. The blanching step at the start pulls out impurities early, so you end up with a clear, beautiful broth rather than a murky one. A long, lazy simmer transforms everything into a liquid that's lightly viscous, fragrant, and full of body ā the kind of base that makes soups, sauces, and grains taste noticeably better. Make a big batch, cool it down properly, and you'll have safe, homemade broth ready to pull from the fridge or freezer whenever you need it.
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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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