Nitrate & Nitrite Free Pressure Cooker Chicken Stock
A rich, golden chicken stock is the backbone of so many great meals, and making it from scratch in a pressure cooker means you get deep, slow-simmered flavor in a fraction of the usual time. Every ingredient here is whole and unprocessed — chicken bones, fresh vegetables, herbs straight from the bunch — so there's nothing hidden to worry about, no cured meats or packaged broths sneaking in additives you didn't ask for. The apple cider vinegar is a quiet workhorse in this recipe, helping to draw minerals and collagen out of the bones so the finished stock has that silky, full-bodied quality you just can't get from a carton. Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, and parsley all go in together, building layers of savory, aromatic flavor that make this stock genuinely versatile. After the pressure releases and you strain everything through a fine-mesh sieve, you're left with a beautifully clear liquid that smells like a Sunday afternoon. Chilling it overnight lets the fat rise and solidify on top so you can lift it right off — clean, pure stock ready to use in soups, braises, risottos, or anything else that deserves a proper foundation. Batch it up and stash portions in the freezer, and you'll always have something wholesome on hand.
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Learn more →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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