Cooking chicken and making chicken broth is a two-for-one process. They can be cooked at the same time in one pot. The idea is to add seasonings to the water when cooking chicken for a potpie and have the cooking liquid become the broth for the potpie. Both are used often for these potpies.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, thighs, or a combination
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 carrot peeled
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 3 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
Combine the chicken, onion, carrot, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large saucepan with water to cover by about 2 inches. Cover loosely and bring to a gentle boil (a few bubbles). Use a spoon to skim off and discard any foamy surface residue. Cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 30 minutes. Use tongs to remove the chicken to a plate. Remove and discard any skin. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones. Cut the chicken into the size needed for the recipe and refrigerate for up to overnight, if not using immediately.
Return the bones to the broth. Continue cooking the broth, uncovered, for at least another 30 minutes. Taste the broth (after cooling it on the spoon), and if it has a good chicken flavor, strain the broth into a large bowl. Discard the bones and seasonings. (Any salt and pepper will be added when the broth is added to a filling.) The broth is ready to use or it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Or, the broth can be sealed in freezer containers and frozen for up to 1 month.
Notes
Choices: Substitute 2 pounds of beef or veal bones and a 4-ounce piece of beef or veal for the chicken. Roast the bones and meat for about 45 minutes at 375°F, or until they brown. Cook the beef and bones with water and the same seasonings, plus a tomato, as described above for the chicken. Taste the broth after 1 hour to see if it has a good meat flavor. The meat will not be used in the potpie recipes, but it can be eaten, if desired.
Chicken on the bone should be used to add a rich flavor to the broth. But it is handy to know that 1 pound of boneless chicken yields about 4 cups of cooked chicken. To avoid a possible chlorine taste in broth, make it with spring or filtered water.
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