BHA & BHT Free Italian Restorative Broth
There is something deeply comforting about a pot of golden broth simmering low and slow on the stove, filling the kitchen with the scent of fresh herbs and sweet root vegetables. This restorative Italian-style broth is built entirely from whole, unprocessed ingredients — bone-in chicken, carrots, parsnips, turnip, celery, and a bundle of fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary — with nothing added that could sneak in unwanted preservatives. For anyone navigating BHA and BHT sensitivities, that kind of ingredient transparency is everything, and this recipe delivers it without any compromise on flavor. The technique matters here too: a quick blanch at the start pulls away surface impurities, and a long, patient simmer at a lazy bubble coaxes out a broth that is genuinely clear, golden, and clean-tasting. Shredded chicken can be stirred back in for a more substantial bowl, or the broth can stand beautifully on its own as a warming, restorative sip. A scatter of fresh parsley at the end keeps the finish bright and herbaceous. This is the kind of recipe you come back to whenever you need something honest and nourishing on the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 lbs whole chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks), fresh — not previously frozen and thawed more than 24 hours ago
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and halved crosswise
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and quartered
- 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 10 cups cold water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the chicken pieces in a large 6–8 qt stockpot and cover with 10 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately drain and rinse the chicken under cold running water. Wipe out the pot. This blanching step removes surface impurities and produces a clearer, cleaner-tasting broth.
- 2
Return the rinsed chicken to the clean pot. Add the carrots, parsnips, turnip, onion, celery, parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs. Pour in 10 cups of fresh cold water — the water should cover the chicken and vegetables by at least 1 inch.
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