Bone Broth

A deeply nourishing, comforting broth I love sipping straight from a mug, especially before bed. Slow-simmered with chicken bones and vegetables for a rich, comforting flavor.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3–8 hours
Servings: About 6–8 cups

Ingredients

For the bone broth

• 1 cooked whole chicken carcass, including any leftover bones, wings, and skin

• 2–3 carrots, chopped

• 2–3 celery stalks, chopped

• 1 onion, quartered

• 2–3 garlic cloves

• 1-2 tbsp grated ginger (I used 2 frozen ginger cubes from Trader Joe’s; fresh ginger works too)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1-2 meyer lemons (you can use any - I just love meyer)

• Salt, to taste

• Filtered water, enough to cover everything in the pot

Optional additions

• Fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary

• Any leftover vegetable scraps you have on hand

Note: Make it your own! Feel free to add, swap, or leave out any of the seasonings or vegetables based on what you have on hand and the flavors you love. Ginger, garlic, onion, etc. are all optional, so adjust everything to your taste.

Directions

1. Place the chicken carcass and any remaining bones, skin, or wings into a large pot.

2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, and any optional herbs or additions.

3. Add enough filtered water to cover everything in the pot.

4. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

5. Let the broth simmer uncovered or partially covered for at least 3 hours. For a richer, more concentrated broth, allow it to simmer for 4–8 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will naturally evaporate. I like to check it periodically and add more water as needed to keep the bones mostly submerged.

6. Remove from the heat and allow the broth to cool slightly.

7. Carefully strain the broth, removing the bones, vegetables, and other solids.

8. Add salt and lemon to taste

9. Transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator. Once chilled, the broth may become gelatinous, which is completely normal.

10. Reheat on the stove whenever you're ready to enjoy. I love pouring mine into a mug and sipping it warm, especially before bed.

IHG note ♡

There’s something so comforting about having homemade bone broth simmering on the stove. I love making a batch to keep in the fridge and warming up a mug at night, almost like a cup of tea. You can also use it anywhere you’d normally use broth or stock, like soups, rice, sauces, or other recipes. The key is adding salt and lemon to taste at the end :) It really brightens the broth and brings out all the flavors!