Sipping Chicken Bone Broth is an ancient superfood that can be easily made at home over a stovetop, using an instant pot, or a slow cooker. I personally find sipping on chicken bone broth to be nourishing and it’s a wonderful base for soups and stews.

This pandemic I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen and it’s been an interesting culinary experience. Who knew we would all be growing green onions on our window seal, or finding creative ways to make meals and snacks we didn’t think was possible. On a serious note, there is a looming uncertainty on so many levels but I am trying to make the best of this situation and every day, I am reminding myself that I should be grateful for my health, access to food, and a safe home. I have been cooking to stay sane and kill the boredom- it’s been a combination of clean out the fridge/pantry type meals, nostalgic Nepali dishes, trying new recipes and revisiting some of my old recipes from the blog. One thing that’s been on repeat is Sipping Chicken Bone Broth because it’s a great way to re-purpose kitchen scraps, make something delicious and nourishing to sip on, and the chicken meat can be used throughout the week (ps. I am sharing an easy version using whole chicken). I am loving this ritual in my kitchen lately and I hope it will become yours too!

Bone broth is not a new thing; it’s been around for centuries and every culture has a variation of broth for both culinary and medicinal purpose. In the past few years, bone broth has gotten really trendy primarily due to the rise in paleo-style of eating and I think the trend is here to stay. The history of bone broth goes back to our hunter-gatherer ancestors as they started making bone broth out of necessity and use every part of animal from their hunt. There are anecdotal notes dating back to 2nd century BC on how traditional Chinese medicine used bone broth for many ailments. Similarly, in 12th century “a bowl of chicken soup” was known was a Jewish penicillin. Over the years, bone broth has evolved and now one can easily buy bone broth at a supermarket, or a neighborhood bone broth bar just like coffee/tea…or you can easily make your version of bone broth at home.

Bone Broth 101:

Bone broth is essentially a hybrid between a broth and stock! It is made by simmering bones and connective tissues of various animals for an extended period of time which lends a gelatinous texture at the end. The term broth, stock, and bone broth can be quite confusing and depending on who you ask, you will get a slightly different response. In general, all broths, stocks, and bone broths are all related; they are made with some combination of meat and bones and have some aromatics, spices, and little vegetables. Epicurious has a really nice article explaining bone broth vs stock in more detail.

The extended cooking helps extract the gelatin from the bones as well other nutrients like glucosamine, amino acids, electrolytes, calcium. Collagen is a protein found in connective tissues, skin, and bone and is responsible for skin’s elasticity, supporting joint/bone health, helping with blood clot among many other things. When we cook collagen (the odd joints, tendons of animal, tough cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue), it turns into gelatin.

Currently, there is limited research on bone broth to support or refute numerous health claims including reduced GI disorders (leaky gut, IBS), better immune health, stronger bones, ligaments, better sleep etc. I enjoy sipping on chicken bone broth mainly because it’s warm, feels nourishing, and hydrating. The nutritional quality of a bone broth really depends on the quality and type of bones you use and the cooking method. So instead of blindly following the bone broth trend, I encourage you to rethink bone broth as something simply nourishing, an ancient super food but not a ‘miracle cure’.

For my vegetarian friends, if you are looking for a nourishing beverage for your well-being, I recommend checking out :

• Homemade Cold Tonic – Aromatic beverage to support immune and digestive health

• Spiced Agni Broth – Ayurvedic and immune boosting for flu season

• Vegan Umami Broth – Meat-free broth that is just as satisfying and rich

How to Make Bone Broth?

Bone broth should be made with animal parts like necks, feet, and knuckles from beef, pork, chicken, turkey and even fish. When possible, source animal parts that are high in quality from local organic/pasture-raised farm. Your butcher and farmers market is a good place to start. The recipe I am sharing today is for chicken bone broth but you can use similar technique for other animal protein of your choice.

Few things to note:

• Blanching bones helps remove impurities but for chicken, I do not blanch prior to roasting it. I have read that it makes a big difference with beef and pork bones.

• Roasting bones at 425°F for 25-30 minutes, or until quite browned brings out the flavor. If you are using roasted chicken bones, you can skip this method.

• Vegetable scraps like onion, celery, carrots and herbs and seasonings can be added but I prefer the clean, meaty flavor with less seasoning. Also, if you have a sensitive gut, avoid garlic and onion in your bone broth and see if that makes a difference. I have tried both ways and personally, I like to keep it simple so it can be used for sipping, or utilized in various recipes for soups, stews.

• Don’t forget the vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar (get the raw kind) as it helps extract minerals from the bones and create a nutritious broth. It is also suggested to soak bones in vinegar and water for 30 minutes prior to simmering.

• Sipping chicken bone broth can be made in an Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on a stove-top. They all have pros and cons so pick the one that works with your lifestyle right now. When I have time, I like to use my stove-top and simmer it slowly but I am not against using my instant pot. I haven’t tried making Sipping Chicken Bone Broth using a slow cooker but you can easily find instructions on the internet if you choose to. Whatever you do, do not overcook bones and meat as it will turn bitter and turn dark.

This post is going to be an evolving one. As I find new recipes or techniques or a credible research on the health benefits of bone broth, I will be sure to add here. Until then, let’s befriend our butcher, or source the best bones we can and enjoy sipping on bone broth! I am sharing my version of Sipping Chicken Bone Broth that I enjoy but feel free to adjust the seasoning, type of animal parts/meat that is accessible to you, and use the cooking method of your choice.

Sipping Chicken Bone Broth

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 -3 pounds whole chicken , cut into parts (ideally, you should use a combination of feet, wings, back)

• vegetable scraps like onion, carrot, celery, garlic

• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• Optional : Turmeric powder, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaves

• 8 cups of water or enough water to cover the chicken

• Salt, to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425 F and roast the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until it gets a caramelized, brown color. I generally use a whole roasted chicken for making broth.

• For instant pot : add roasted chicken pieces, vegetable scraps, and seasoning of your choice. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and fill it with about 8 cups of water. Close the lid and turn the manual mode on for 120 minutes. When cooled and ready, strain the broth through a fine sieve.

• For stove top, put everything into a large stockpot and cover it with water 8 cups of water. Bring it to a low simmer for 12-15 hours. When cooler and ready, strain the broth through a fine sieve.

• You can store the broth in the refrigerator or freezer and use as needed.

I use the chicken meat for various recipes through out the week in one pot chicken noodle soup, stir-fry, chicken salad, quesadilla.

Besides sipping on chicken bone broth, you can also use it as a base for your soups and stews.

Let me know if you give my Sipping Chicken Bone Broth a try. You can pin this for later use and feel free to share with your friends and families.

Have you made bone broth? I’d love to hear your experience.