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Whenever I feel even slightly under the weather, I immediately make this easy chicken bone broth in the Instant Pot. Typically, making a bone broth over the stove would take 24 hours, but with the Instant Pot, you can easily make homemade bone broth in only 2 hours thanks to pressure cooking.
The best part is that you can use the extra ingredients from your chicken bone broth to make a delicious homemade chicken noodle soup, chicken wild rice soup, or any soup that uses chicken broth. I always use a rotisserie chicken when I make soup which is a great way to save on time and make your own broth at home. Bone broth is also incredibly nutritious and perfect to sip by itself.
What is the difference between Bone Broth, Chicken Broth, and Chicken Stock?
Bone broth and chicken stock are essentially the same thing and use the bones of the chicken to make the broth, while chicken broth does not. Regular chicken broth uses only meat and vegetables, is lighter, and does not form a gelatin when cooled. Stock and Bone Broth use bones and cartilage. It is richer in vitamins, minerals, collagen, and protein.
Why is homemade bone broth better than store bought broth?
I began making my own bone broth in the Instant Pot several years ago when a took more notice of the ingredients listed in store-bought chicken broth. There are a few things you will notice when you look at the label. First, you will notice that most store-bought broths add food coloring, concentrates, and flavoring. You will also notice that they all lack vitamins!
Homemade bone broth is full of vitamins that are leached into the broth from all the vegetables. The coloring from the broth also comes from carrots, so no dye is necessary. You’ll find most broths use turmeric to add color. Homemade bone broth is also incredibly flavorful and not bland like you will find if you’ve ever tried to drink the store-bought broth by itself.
Is Bone Broth healthier than Chicken Broth?
Not only is this homemade bone broth in the Instant Pot full of vitamins and nutrients from the added vegetables, but it also contains a key nutrient called collagen. Collagen is why bone broth has become so popular over recent years.
As we age, our bodies stop producing collagen and we can only obtain collagen through what we consume. Collagen is found in the bones and cartilage of animals. When we use the chicken carcass to make bone broth, the bones and cartilage break down under the high pressure of the Instant Pot and leach into the broth.
Easy bone broth substitutions
You can use this recipe to make any bone broth in the Instant Pot. The basic recipe is always the same.
- Beef Broth using the bones from prime ribs and steaks
- Pork Broth using pork rib bones
- Turkey broth using leftover turkey carcass
- Fish broth from any fish bones
- Lobster broth from lobster shells
- Vegetable broth by adding more vegetables and including additional vegetables like turnips
How to make chicken bone broth in the Instant Pot
To make this bone broth in the Instant Pot, you will first remove all the chicken and skin from your rotisserie. Save the chicken to use in a soup or future recipe and discard the skin. Then peel your carrots, garlic, and onion. Cut your onion in half (if you are making a soup after, save a sliver for your soup). Place all of the ingredients in your 6 quarts Instant Pot and fill with water just underneath the max line. This will be approximately 12 cups of water.
I like to use an herb holder for my soups and broths. A tea holder will work as well. This makes for much easier clean-up. The carcass of the bones can also be split and broken up to help them submerge under the water.
Make sure the vent is closed on your Instant Pot and set on high pressure for 2 hours. Once finished cooking use natural release. This means to let the bone broth rest and naturally depressurize. This can take an additional 20-30 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready because steam will no longer come out when you open the vent.
Next, open your Instant Pot lid and use tongs to remove the vegetables and carcass. Then use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the liquid into a large bowl. Pour your liquid into containers to place in the refrigerator, freezer, or pour the liquid back into the Instant Pot or large pot to use as broth for your soup.
How to Store Bone Broth
Once my bone broth is finished, I typically use it for soup or put it in a large container to store in the freezer for later use. Bone broth will last for 7 days in the refrigerator and can freeze for 3-4 months.
Easy Chicken Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
EQUIPMENT
- mesh strainer
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken carcass
- 12 cups water
- 3 whole carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 whole onion sweet or yellow
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs Parsley Italian Flat Leaf
- ½ tsp peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt pink himalayan
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- First peel your carrots, garlic, and onion. Cut your onion in half.
- Place all of the ingredients in your 6 quarts Instant Pot and fill the water just underneath the max line.
- Set your Instant Pot on high pressure for 2 hours.
- Once finished slow release for approximately 30 minutes.
- Next, open your Instant Pot lid and use tongs to remove the vegetables and chicken bones. Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the liquid into a large bowl.
- Use your broth for soup or pour into containers to refrigerate or freeze.
Notes
- I like to use a steel herb seasoning ball for the herbs. You can also use a large steel tea ball or just place the herbs in loosely.
- You can also cook the broth on low pressure for 3 hours and then slow release.
- It is nice to make this broth with very little sodium (salt) and then season your soup to taste when using this broth.
- This broth can be enjoyed by itself for its collagen benefits
- Once refrigerated, it is completely normal for the bone broth to be of a jello consistency
- The chicken carcass can be broken down so it is completely submerged under the water.
Sondra Barker
