One day when I was a newly married wife, I stumbled upon a recipe for bone broth and gave it a try. Little did I know that it would start a huge snowball in our diet/eating habits. Bone broth is what got me started in changing our diet to be more nourishing and organic (you can read more about it here).

As the days and years have gone by, I’ve seen bone broth getting more popular. And I’m actually very happy about it (now I’m not the only one making it… haha). We love it at our house!

Not only is bone broth delicious (even as a stand alone drink), it is SO good for you!

Why Bone Broth?

Now, if you’ve not made bone broth before, you may wonder why even bother, I can buy it in the store or use that chicken bouillon stuff from Costco. Well, friend, let me tell you, broth is worth it! It is a simple way to add minerals, vitamins, and fats to your diet, just to name a few. Many of the nutrients found in bone broths are now sold as supplements for joint pain and arthritis! There really is not a better way to get these vitamins and minerals into your body. Broth is the easiest way for your stomach to digest and absorb all the vitamins packed into those bones. 

Bone broth is so nutritional that there is even a diet that takes out all food and starts with only broth, then builds upon that foundation. (Check it out here). 

All types of broth are foundational to the diet that I do my best to follow (see here). (See also “Broth is Beautiful”).

My Personal Experience

I have always found that when I include bone broths in our diet on a regular basis, my skin is much clearer and my tummy is much healthier. I’ve also found that even my daughter’s eczema is much better when she is eating broth.

So, I try to make broth as much as possible and keep it always in the fridge. We usually eat it in soups, with our grains, or even as a drink (it’s great with a little salt). 

And, yes, you can buy collagen peptides at the store, which is great. But also expensive! Bone broth contains a lot of collagen, so this is a budget-friendly way to keep your skin looking good too.

I also used bone broth in a lot of the first foods that my daughter ate. It is so soothing for babies’ tummies as well and it helps them digest their new foods. (Now I’ll have to post some baby food recipes!)

*Note, I am not a doctor or nutritionist, but are just things that I have noticed as a mom and wife. Please discuss any health needs you have with your doctor or a nutritionist.

So with all those reasons, don’t you want to make some broth now?!? Here’s how.

Think Ahead | Save Your Bones

As you make chicken for recipes (like Masala Roasted Chicken or Easy Garlic-Ginger Chicken), save the bones from the chickens that you use. 

I recommend buying organic, grass-fed, whole chickens whenever possible. Then either brine your chickens and cook, saving the bones or cut the whole chicken yourself and save the bones for broth. 

If you decide to cut up the chicken yourself before cooking, I recommend that you roast the chicken bones before making the broth (it makes it tastier). 

There are also ways to get just bones at some grocery stores. You can just buy chicken backs and necks for this recipe if you would prefer. 

Chicken Bone Broth

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken bones, preferably grass-fed and organic (necks and backs work well, or save the bones from 2 whole chickens)
2 onions
3 large carrots
5 celery stalks
1 gallon filtered water (I use this filter)
¼ cup vinegar

Prepare to Simmer

If you saved raw bones, roast them first in the oven. Add the roasted bones to a large stock pot. Roughly chop the onion, carrots, and celery, add to the pot.

Simmer

Add the filtered water (I use this filter) to the pot and turn on medium heat. 

Once the broth comes to a boil, turn it down to the lowest setting (simmer). You want the broth to be barely simmering, not boiling at all. 

As the broth simmers, you will see some brown/black looking stuff come to the surface. This is the scum and should be scraped off the edge of the water as it simmers. It should appear after 30 minutes of simmering and then you shouldn’t see anymore after that. You skim it off because it can make your broth taste odd.

Keep Simmering

After you skimmed off the scum from the top of the broth, add the ¼ cup of vinegar (I use Apple Cider Vinegar). 

Now, leave the brother alone!

Just make sure that it’s at a very slow simmer and let it be. I like to cook my broth for at least 8 hours on this low setting. But I’ve found that it tastes better the longer you leave it simmering. 

Let Cool and Strain

Once the broth has simmered to your liking, remove from the heat. Let it cool in the stock pot. 

After it has cooled, take out the big bones and pieces that you can with your hands. Then pour the rest of the broth through a strainer. Depending on how well you skimmed the scum, you may want to use a piece of cheesecloth for this part as well. 

Storage

Now that the broth is all strained. Pour into glass jars. I like to use these mason jars, they are straight on the side and have wide mouths. It’s perfect for when I need to warm up some frozen broth quickly. Just run enough water on the jar to loosen the broth and then pour into the pot you are cooking with to thaw the rest of the way. 

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze. I usually keep 2-3 jars in the fridge and freeze the rest. Then as I use the ones in the fridge I pull down the ones from the freezer. That is IF I remember to do so.

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So next time you are at the store, try buying whole chickens to use for broth. Easier still, pick up some chicken backs or necks or even feet and make your easy chicken bone broth. Let me know if you do!

More Chicken Recipes:

Easy Chicken Brine

Gluten-Free Fried Chicken | Keto Approved

Garlic-Ginger Chicken and Broccoli

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