Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love this recipe because it lets me get another meal-worthy ingredient out of a rotisserie chicken instead of throwing away the carcass. The bones, skin, and small pieces of meat left behind contain plenty of flavor that slowly infuses the water as everything simmers.
I also like having complete control over the finished stock. Since store-bought rotisserie chicken can already contain a fair amount of seasoning, I don’t need to add much salt while cooking. I can season the stock later depending on the recipe in which I use it.
Most importantly, the preparation is incredibly easy. Once everything is in the pot, I mostly leave it alone to gently simmer.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
- 1 rotisserie chicken carcass, including bones, skin, and any remaining meat
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 fresh parsley sprigs
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 10 to 12 cups cold water, or enough to cover the ingredients
- Salt, if needed after cooking
Directions
- I remove most of the usable meat from the rotisserie chicken and save it for another meal. I place the remaining carcass, bones, skin, and small meat scraps into a large stockpot.
- I add the quartered onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and black peppercorns.
- I pour in enough cold water to cover the chicken bones and vegetables, usually about 10 to 12 cups depending on the size of my pot.
- I place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a gentle boil.
- As soon as it begins boiling, I reduce the heat to low. I want the stock to maintain a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil.
- I partially cover the pot and let the stock simmer for about 2 to 3 hours. I check it occasionally and skim away any foam or excess fat that collects on the surface.
- Once the stock tastes rich and flavorful, I remove the pot from the heat.
- I carefully pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heat-safe bowl or another pot. I discard the cooked bones, vegetables, and herbs.
- I taste the strained stock and add salt only if necessary. I usually keep it lightly seasoned because this gives me more control when I use it in other recipes.
- I cool the stock promptly before transferring it to containers for refrigeration or freezing.
- Once chilled, I can remove any solidified fat from the surface if I prefer a leaner stock. I can also leave some of it for additional richness and flavor.
Servings and Timing
This Easy Homemade Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken makes approximately 8 cups, although my final yield depends on the size of the chicken, amount of water, cooking time, and how much the stock reduces.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 2 to 3 hours
- Total time: About 2 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 10 minutes
- Servings: About 8 cups
- Yield: Approximately 2 quarts
Variations
Rotisserie Chicken Stock with Extra Herbs
When I want a more aromatic stock, I add additional fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage, or extra thyme. I use stronger herbs like rosemary sparingly because their flavor can become quite noticeable after several hours of simmering.
Chicken Stock with Vegetable Scraps
I like saving clean onion ends, carrot peelings, celery leaves, and herb stems in the freezer. When I make stock, I add some of these scraps to the pot instead of using only fresh vegetables.
Richer Rotisserie Chicken Stock
When I want a more concentrated stock, I use slightly less water or simmer the strained stock afterward until it reduces to my preferred intensity.
Ginger Chicken Stock
For a different flavor profile, I add several slices of fresh ginger to the pot. I particularly like this variation when I plan to use the stock for noodle soups, rice dishes, or Asian-inspired recipes.
Chicken Stock Without Garlic
When I want a more neutral stock that I can use in a wider variety of recipes, I leave out the garlic. The chicken, onion, carrots, celery, and herbs still give me plenty of flavor.
Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Stock
When I don’t want to monitor a pot on the stove, I put the chicken carcass, vegetables, herbs, and water into my slow cooker. I cook everything on low for about 8 to 10 hours, then strain and cool the stock.
Storage/Reheating
I cool homemade chicken stock promptly and transfer it to airtight containers. I store it in the refrigerator and use it within 3 to 4 days.
For longer storage, I freeze the stock in freezer-safe containers for several months. I make sure to leave some empty space at the top of each container because liquids expand as they freeze.
I also like freezing stock in smaller portions or ice cube trays. Small portions are especially convenient when I only need a little stock to loosen a sauce, finish a risotto, or add moisture to leftovers.
When I need to reheat refrigerated stock, I pour it into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat until it is steaming hot. For frozen stock, I prefer thawing it overnight in the refrigerator, although I can also gently thaw and heat it directly in a saucepan.
FAQs
Can I use the skin when making stock from a rotisserie chicken?
Yes. I usually include some of the skin because it contributes flavor and richness to the stock. If my rotisserie chicken is especially fatty or heavily seasoned, I may remove some of the skin before simmering.
How long should I simmer a rotisserie chicken carcass for stock?
I generally simmer my stock gently for about 2 to 3 hours. This gives the bones, meat scraps, vegetables, and herbs enough time to flavor the liquid. I focus more on the flavor of the finished stock than an exact cooking time.
Do I need to remove all the meat before making chicken stock?
No. I remove the larger pieces because I prefer saving good chicken meat for another recipe, but I leave small scraps attached to the bones. Those leftover pieces add additional flavor to my stock.
Why shouldn’t I add much salt to homemade chicken stock?
I keep the salt minimal because rotisserie chicken is already seasoned and the stock becomes more concentrated as it simmers. I also like having an unsalted or lightly salted stock because I can adjust the seasoning when I use it in another recipe.
What can I make with homemade rotisserie chicken stock?
I use homemade chicken stock for soups, risotto, pasta dishes, gravy, sauces, casseroles, stuffing, and rice. I also use it instead of water when cooking grains whenever I want to add extra savory flavor.
Conclusion
Easy Homemade Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken is one of my favorite ways to make the most of an ingredient that might otherwise go to waste. With a leftover chicken carcass, a few vegetables, herbs, and water, I can create a flavorful homemade stock with very little active preparation. I love keeping it on hand because it gives soups, risotto, sauces, rice, and countless other dishes a richer homemade flavor while helping me get even more value from a simple rotisserie chicken.
PrintEasy Homemade Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken
Easy Homemade Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken transforms leftover bones and scraps into a rich, versatile kitchen staple. Slowly simmered with vegetables, herbs, and aromatics, it is perfect for soups, risotto, sauces, gravies, and rice dishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 to 3 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: About 8 cups (approximately 2 quarts)
- Category: Stock
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken carcass, including bones, skin, and any remaining meat
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 fresh parsley sprigs
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 10 to 12 cups cold water, or enough to cover the ingredients
- Salt, if needed after cooking
Instructions
- Remove most of the usable meat from the rotisserie chicken and reserve it for another meal. Place the carcass, bones, skin, and remaining meat scraps in a large stockpot.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and black peppercorns.
- Pour in enough cold water to cover the chicken bones and vegetables, usually 10 to 12 cups.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a gentle boil.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low so the stock maintains a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil.
- Partially cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, checking occasionally and skimming away foam or excess fat from the surface as needed.
- When the stock tastes rich and flavorful, remove the pot from the heat.
- Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heat-safe bowl or clean pot. Discard the cooked bones, vegetables, and herbs.
- Taste and add salt only if needed, keeping the stock lightly seasoned for versatility.
- Cool the stock promptly before transferring it to airtight containers for refrigeration or freezing.
- Once chilled, remove the solidified fat from the surface for a leaner stock, or leave some for additional richness and flavor.
Notes
- For a more aromatic stock, add rosemary, sage, or additional thyme, using stronger herbs such as rosemary sparingly.
- Clean onion ends, carrot peelings, celery leaves, and herb stems can be saved and used in the stock.
- For a more concentrated stock, start with slightly less water or simmer the strained stock until reduced to the desired intensity.
- Add several slices of fresh ginger for a stock suited to noodle soups, rice dishes, and Asian-inspired recipes.
- Omit the garlic when a more neutral and versatile chicken stock is desired.
- For a slow cooker version, cook the chicken carcass, vegetables, herbs, and water on low for 8 to 10 hours before straining.
- Store cooled stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze in freezer-safe containers for several months, leaving space for the liquid to expand.
- Small portions or ice cubes of stock are convenient for sauces, risotto, and reheating leftovers.
- Rotisserie chickens can already be well seasoned, so add salt only after the stock has finished simmering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 45 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
