I’ve shared this recipe on the blog before, but to be honest it’s kind of buried in the intro paragraph of another recipe, which basically means it’s hard to find.
And now that I’ve realized how incredibly popular this slow cooker “overnight chicken stock” recipe is, I’ve decided it deserves a page all of its own!
Chicken Stock Ingredients
If you don’t already own a slow cooker, I like to give people plenty of reasons to buy one because I love mine (we use this basic, inexpensive slow cooker) and use it quite frequently for everything from “Flank Steak Fajitas” to “Refried Beans.”
But one of the best crock pot discoveries (thanks to a friend!) has definitely been this recipe below for chicken stock that cooks while you sleep using the leftover chicken bones from your dinner. I highly recommend using the leftovers from “The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot” recipe, but any chicken bones will do, and you’ll be amazed by the outcome.
Get ready to say goodbye to canned chicken broth forever!
Chicken Noodle Soup made with Homemade Chicken Stock
Overnight Chicken Stock in the Crock Pot
Don't waste your leftover chicken! Put it in the crockpot with water, spices & some veggies and make your own stock (freezer friendly, too!)
Ingredients
Instructions
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After removing all edible meat from the chicken put/leave the bones, skin, cooking juices, etc. in the crock pot. If you are using the chicken carcass from the The Best Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot recipe just leave every single thing that’s leftover (except the good meat of course) in the crock pot, including the original onion and spices you used when making the chicken.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot and spices on top of the bones and fill the crock pot almost to the top with tap water (leaving about 1/2” at the top).
- Turn the slow cooker onto “low” after dinner and cook all night long or alternatively you could start it in the morning and cook on “low” for 8 – 10 hours during the day.
- After the stock is done cooking turn off the heat and, using a soup ladle, pass the stock through a fine sieve to remove all herbs/bones/etc.
- Either refrigerate or freeze the stock for future use. I usually freeze some in both 1 and 2-cup portions, and I also sometimes freeze stock in ice cube trays just in case I just “need a little” for making sauce or rice. This stock is great in soups like chicken noodle soup and also in rice like risotto.
Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
If you’re missing any of the above flavoring ingredients, don’t let that stop you from making this anyway!
Great chicken recipe for this – Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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I love doing broth in the crock pot! It is so helpful to not have to watch the stove or worry about boil overs. And you’re right, it’s a great way to use up the carcass of a chicken that you used the meat on.
Yes! The less we have to stand around in the kitchen, the better! :) – Nicole
Thanks for this recipe, Lisa! I’ve made stock with your recipe several times and enjoyed it. Recently I added one pre-step from another source: the carcass/bones etc (I save small amounts until there’s enough to fill my big slow-cooker) spends one hour in the oven at 400 degrees. Then into the cooker as per your recipe. This step adds. new depth of flavor and color to the stock.
Many thanks for your work. I’ve just started in on your meal-planning workbook.
Thanks for the tip! We’ll have to try it out next time. Hope you’re enjoying the Meal Planner, too! – Nicole
How long would this last if kept in the fridge?
Broth usually lasts about 3-4 days in the fridge, or you can store it in the freezer for 2-3 months. – Nicole
Is 12 hours too long. I plan to leave it on overnight. Should I add water before I go to bed so that is doesn’t get too low overnight?
Hi Kate, that should be fine since this is an overnight recipe. Pour water almost to the top of the crockpot leaving about 1/2″ from the top. Let us know how it comes out! – Nicole
Thank you so much! I remember reading somewhere that making sure that you continue to cook the bones until all the morrow is gone from the bone and using the broth leftover, that this is a deterrent to cancers. I did this to make my Grandmother Angie’s Famous Chicken Soup. Thank you, again, BIG HELP!
I put a whole chicken in the. crock pot with just a silicone roast rack that it was sitting on. Rubbed spices all over the chicken. Put on High for 4.5 hours. Temperature remains at 140 degrees.,not changing for last hour.
Is it ready to eat and refrigerate?
Hi Marlene, sorry we can’t respond to comments in real-time. The FDA recommends chicken to stay at 165 degrees, but also says if it can hold 145 degrees for 8.5 minutes then it achieves the same bacteria reduction as 165. Hope your chicken turned out great. – Nicole
Do you think it’s okay to leave it in the crockpot a few hours before straining it and refrigerating or should that be done immediately?
It should be fine. – Nicole
Going to give this a try this week. It sounds delicious and very easy! What size slow cooker should he used and about how many cups of stock will this recipe yield?
This is the best & easiest chicken & then chicken soup recipe!! I make it often! Thank you
Whats the best way to make chicken noodle soup using your great chicken stock?
I just made your rosemary carrots recipe from your first book. After trying to find ways to use my carrot scraps from peeling, I came upon a web site that recommended freezing the scraps and using them for chicken stock. I thought that was a great idea that I could use for this recipe (especially since I already have chicken bones/water freezing from cooking your whole chicken in the crock pot recipe). I imagine I could also use celery (and maybe onion?) scraps as well so I’m wasting less produce!
Credit: https://www.care2.com/greenliving/ways-to-reuse-food-scraps.html