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! 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 with the outcome. Get ready to say goodbye to canned chicken broth forever!
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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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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This recipe looks great! Do you think I could use the “raw” bones from 8 chicken breasts that I deboned? Also, do you think I could leave it in the crockpot on low for about 17 hours? (So I could start it before bed and deal with it after work the next day?)
Yes. That should
work.
Is this considered a “bone broth”? I keep reading about how those are good for you.
You have to cook on high for bone broth. I do it all the time. I make the whole chicken in the crock pot and just add water to the leftovers. I cook for 24 hours. The bones should basically crumble when your done. I can crush them with my fingers. Then filter through a sieve.
Yes, anytime you can cook with bones; it is tastier and healthier. I have been making this for years!
I’m going to make the Best Whole Chicken in a Crockpot recipe, and would like to make this stock afterwards. I was wondering if the spices from the chicken, cayenne pepper, paprika, etc. would make the stock taste odd (more like bbq chicken stock than plain chicken stock)? Thanks!
Hi. The spices add a bit of flavor to the stock but it is still a pretty neutral flavor.
I’ve never cooked a whole chicken before but was anxious to try this recipe – my husband and I both loved it! Making the stock now, am excited about having homemade. Thanks for this post and for answering my question.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I hope I can make one for my kids though. I’ve been very busy and I’m now drinking Au Bon Broth which was recommended by a friend. I like it so far because of how tasty and delicious it is.
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
Whats the best way to make chicken noodle soup using your great chicken stock?