MSG Free Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock

Total time2 hr

Prep time15 min

Cook time1 hr 15 min

5.0

(18)

Rich, golden, and deeply savory, this homemade chicken stock is the kind of kitchen staple that makes everything else you cook taste noticeably better. Store-bought broths and stocks are notorious for hiding glutamates, yeast extracts, and flavor enhancers that can be hard to spot on a label — making a from-scratch version the smartest move for anyone avoiding added MSG. Here, the depth of flavor comes entirely from slow-extracted collagen and gelatin from the bones, sweet aromatics like carrot and onion, and a splash of apple cider vinegar that helps draw minerals out of the chicken pieces. The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting in a fraction of the time a stovetop simmer would take, giving you a beautifully concentrated result without hours of babysitting the stove. Fresh thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns round out the flavor in a way that feels complex but is completely clean and additive-free. Once chilled, you can skim the fat and portion it into containers for the fridge or freezer, so you always have a trustworthy base ready for soups, braises, risottos, or sauces — no label-reading required.

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Ingredients

8 servings

3 lb chicken backs, necks, or a mix of bony pieces (or 1 whole carcass plus 1 lb wings)
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, quartered (skin on)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4–5 sprigs fresh thyme
4–5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp salt
10 cups cold water (or enough to reach the max fill line)

Instructions

1
Add the chicken pieces, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and salt to the pressure cooker insert. Pour in the cold water until the ingredients are just submerged, stopping at least 2 inches below the max fill line.
2
Lock the lid and set the pressure release valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes.

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