Instant Pot Easy Chicken Stock– A MUST-HAVE Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between chicken stock or broth? ›

Stock is generally made from bones, and broth is generally made from flesh. In both cases, they are often supported with aromatic vegetables, but in the case of stock, left unseasoned for maximum flexibility in recipes, whereas broth will usually contain at least salt and pepper.

Store Bought or Homemade Chicken Stock

The store-bought chicken stock can be too salty, so make sure to dilute with water in a ratio of 2 parts broth to 1 part water (4 cups broth: 2 cups water) as a good starting point. You can always adjust the flavor to your liking by tasting the broth.

Cook it too long, though, and you get into a case of seriously diminishing returns. Throughout my testing, I tasted my stocks as they cooked, and I generally found about one and a half hours to be a reasonable endpoint—plenty of time for a flavorful, rich broth, but not so long that it's a major commitment to make it.

The difference between bone broth and regular broth, or stock, comes down to the length of the cooking time and the addition of acid to the cooking liquid. They taste very similar, though the bone broth has a slightly more intense flavor and a thicker, silkier texture. They can be used interchangeably in recipes.

As a result, stock is usually a healthier product, delivering a richer mouth feel and deeper flavor than broth. Stock is a versatile culinary tool that can deliver taste to any number of dishes. Darker in color and more concentrated in flavor than broth, it's ideal for use in soups, rice, sauces and more.

“In general, stock and broth can be used interchangeably. However, there are times when it is more advantageous to choose one over the other,” Hill admits. Because stock is made from bones, it will infuse any recipe with stronger chicken flavor than broth.

So 4 cups = 1 litre. But if you're going by 8 oz = 1 cup, that would be ~ 236 ml, which is how you're getting 1.888 liters.

A good rule of thumb is that for each pound to pound-and-a-half of chicken, you'll need one quart of water, or enough to just barely cover everything. Any more than that and you'll have a watery chicken stock or need to simmer it for much longer to get it flavorful enough.

How do you make chicken stock taste better? ›

Throw In Extra Aromatics

The base of most stocks are flavorful aromatics, like onion, carrot, and celery. An easy way to punch up the lackluster flavor of boxed stocks is by adding more of those basics. An onion sliced in half, plus a few chunks of carrots and celery can go a long way in flavoring store-bought stocks.

You can always use the less than perfect liquid for beef stew or chicken and dumplings. Still, to have the clearest results, never boil your stock. As Stewart explains, "Boiling a stock is going to make a cloudy stock."

Bone broth (despite the higher price tags) is basically another name for stock. It is thick and contains collagen. Some chefs say that to make really good bone broth the bones need to have been cooked for a long period of time for more collagen and flavor.

Stock has a richer, deeper flavor and mouthfeel, making it better at adding body to a dish, whereas broth might be a better choice when you want to let other flavors to shine.

A pressure cooker makes bone broth in a fraction of the time the slow cooker does, but both are excellent options. We've shared methods for both below, it all depends on what works best for your timeframe.

While broth adds flavor, it isn't as concentrated as a stock and takes much less time to prepare. Stock is made from the bones of an animal, simmered until they break down to release collagen and nutrients into the liquid.

And the Winner Is..

Stock! Whether homemade or store-bought it has more protein and usually less sodium per serving as compared to broth. Plus, the flavor is just better which means you'll start with something tastier and will hopefully use less salt to taste at the end.

Because broth is lower in calories, it may be the preferred option for those who are trying to limit their calorie intake. Nevertheless, stock contains more nutrients, as well as collagen, marrow, amino acids and minerals. These may protect the digestive tract, improve sleep and support joint health.

Stock and broth are both great for cooking with, but not as rich in nutrients or flavor as bone broth.