Don't Throw Out Those Chicken Bones - They Are Extremely Valuable
When you finish a roasted chicken, don’t toss those bones. They’re gold in the kitchen. Leftover chicken bones are packed with flavor and potential. You can turn them into rich broth, hearty soup, or even a base for sauces. It’s a smart way to stretch your food budget and cut waste.
Making something from the bones is easy. You just need a pot, some water, and a little time. As they simmer, the bones release deep, savory flavors. They also give you a nutrient-rich liquid full of collagen. That’s why homemade broth tastes so much better than store-bought.
You can keep it simple with just bones, water, and salt. Or add vegetables and herbs for more depth. Once you make a batch, you can freeze it for later. It’s perfect for quick soups, risottos, or sauces on busy nights.
You can even roast the bones again before simmering for a darker, richer flavor. Or try making a concentrated stock you can freeze in cubes. The options are endless.
So next time you carve a roasted chicken, save those bones. You’ll unlock a whole new level of flavor in your cooking. And you’ll feel good knowing nothing went to waste.
What You Can Do With All That Beautiful, Flavorful Stock
| Use | Description | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Soup base | Use as the foundation for chicken noodle, vegetable, or blended soups. | It adds immediate depth and body so soups taste homemade and full-flavored. |
| Risotto | Stir warm stock into arborio rice as you cook it slowly. | The stock builds creaminess and umami without needing extra butter or cheese. |
| Gravy & Pan Sauces | Deglaze roast pan or sautéed pans and reduce into a sauce. | Stock dissolves browned bits and creates rich, silky sauces fast. |
| Braising liquid | Slow-cook meats or vegetables partially submerged in stock. | It tenderizes and infuses long-cooked dishes with savory flavor. |
| Poaching liquid | Poach chicken, fish, or eggs gently in warm stock. | Protein cooks gently and picks up extra flavor and moisture. |
| Grain cooker | Cook rice, quinoa, farro, or barley using stock instead of water. | Grains absorb savory notes and taste more interesting and complete. |
| Beans & legumes | Simmer dried beans or lentils in stock. | They soak up flavor while cooking and need less added seasoning. |
| Ramen & noodles | Use as the broth for ramen bowls or Asian noodle soups. | It gives a rich, rounded broth that supports toppings and aromatics. |
| Panade / stuffing | Moisten breadcrumbs for stuffing or strata with warm stock. | It binds ingredients and adds savory depth to the filling. |
| Sauce enrichment | Add a splash to cream sauces, tomato sauces, or curry bases. | Stock lifts flavors and balances richness without overpowering. |
| Vegetable sauté | Finish a pan of sautéed greens or mushrooms with a little stock. | It deglazes the pan and seasons vegetables lightly and naturally. |
| Freeze in portions | Freeze in ice cube trays or portions for single-use recipes. | Convenient for quick boosts and prevents waste; easy to defrost. |
| Concentrate to demi-glace | Reduce stock by simmering until thick and intensely flavored. | Concentrated stock adds a powerful umami punch in small amounts. |
| Sip as bone broth | Warm and drink plain or with a squeeze of lemon and salt. | It’s comforting, hydrating, and delivers savory, collagen-rich warmth. |
| Marinade base | Mix with herbs, acid, and oil to marinate meats or vegetables. | The stock carries flavor deep into ingredients before cooking. |
Chicken Stock from Chicken Bones
Equipment
- 1 large stockpot
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the chicken bones in a large stockpot.
- Add water, carrots, celery, onion, and any optional aromatics.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 3–4 hours. Skim off any foam as needed.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pot. Discard solids.
- Cool the stock quickly by setting the bowl in an ice bath.
- Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
23 Responses
WOW! I was surfing around tonight looking for ideas, and I found this recipe for some reason. Great idea and thanks!!
I do this all the time! In fact, I let mine simmer over a couple of days, after adding all kinds of “stuff” from leftovers to dinner scraps. I also purposely purchase roasting chickens much larger than I actually need and plan about 4 meals out of one roasting event!
Love your site – actually gave it a shout out on my blog: http://whitneygang.blogspot.com. Got your site address from Sue S at CHOP – I’m Todd’s wife. I’ve had a blast going through the archives for recipes and tips.
Keep up the great work!
Indeed, it is amazing how much mileage one can get out of a chicken– and like you said, it’s very easy to do! I’m making chicken soup right now from last night’s chicken roast leftovers– I’ll be using winter veggies for my soup ( parsnips, potatoes, carrots, turnips, celery, etc. ) tonite. Wet and chilly out… a great night for some homemade soup by the fireplace!
Will be trying this tomorrow night, going to simmer the carcass today…
Try this guerrilla tactic: After your roast-chicken meal, drop remaining carcass and meat scraps into your crockpot. Throw in a small onion if you like, add water to an inch of the brim, and run the appliance on low overnight.
After breakfast next day, pour everything through a colander, catching the broth below in a second pot. Discard spent meat and bone.
This technique almost effortlessly produces a quart or more of rich chicken broth, ready for seasoning.
Tip: To avoid cooking fumes, I like to conduct this operation outdoors, setting the crockpot under the hood of my barbecue grill.
Why do you throw out the meat in your process?
i love Chicken Soup it is so yummy.
I love to eat chicken soup; my mom always served that dish to me, especially when I was sick during my childhood days.
Chicken Soup is one of my favorite dishes of all time. it is very tasty and the ingredients are very available. sometimes i put a dash of chili over my chicken soup because i like it spicy hot.
Thanks for your recipe! It was my first time making chicken noodle soup and it turned out fabulous. Although I actually started with cornish game hen carcasses…
I threw in roughly chopped onion, celery, carrot and some pepper corns into the initial carcass broth. This might not make a difference though, since I added onion, celery, carrot, thyme AFTER straining…
Hi Ann, Game Hen Noodle Soup …. I like it. Thanks for posting. – RG
Great idea. Frugal, too. Stretching those dollars is more important than ever.
You can say that again. – RG
Chicken Soup is THE comfort food for most of us. I love making it and add thawed chopped green chili peppers. Sometime I also add 2 tsp. corn starch with 1/2 cup 1/2/&1/2 and 1/2 cup cream. To either of these changes, I add about 2 tsp. of ground Comino (Cumin). These soups on a chilly evening are like wrapping up in a soft, warm, blanket. Hope you try them and enjoy!
Lynzi
Hi Lynzi, thanks for your ideas, sounds delicious – RG
Thanks! My kiddos are still recovering from a nasty stomach bug and yet clamoring for something more substantial than toast or oyster crackers. Used my leftover rotisserie chicken to make a simple broth and added some rice. They are loving it!
Hey Morgan, you are welcome and sorry to hear your kids were not feeling well. That stomach bug was everywhere this season. I can’t tell you how many people I know came down with it and passed it through their entire family. Thanks for the report. – RG
I have been making this for some years now. The flavor is incredible. I use thyme flakes, salt and pepper to taste. I serve it with a fluffy homemade biscuit dropped in the center of the bowl. It is awesome! You can takes little bites of the biscuit as you eat the soup and it is like eating chicken pot pie.
Hi Susan, I love the biscuit suggestion. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing. – RG
When you cook stock, put a little salt in it. It helps it to stay for many weeks without going bad.
Hi all!
I tend to throw the carcass away, too, but since reading this article, I’ve used it well! I also love to make Streaky Smoked Bacon and Spicy Tomato soup. It’s inexpensive and very easy to make. Also, I always buy a French Stick, cut it up, and add butter. It’s great when dipped into soup! This is a great site, keep up the good work from Scotland!
I am trying this right now! I also didn’t know what to do with some tortellini I had in my freezer. Thank s.
im very much thankful to God that i found this site,, this ‘s a big help for my catering services… thank you so much…. More power and God bless….
Question. After finishing off a rotisserie chicken two days ago, I put the carcass along with a little meat into the freezer, because it seemed a shame to throw it away, and I wanted to look for “things to do with a chicken carcass.” Seeing your idea and loving it, will it be okay for me to thaw the chicken carcass in the the refrigerator and then use it to make the broth?
Hi Rhonda, I don’t see why not, I do it all the time but if you are worried about some health issue, I’m not a food scientist so you many want to reach out to someone who is. I might also suggest you try going right from the freezer to a pot of water to make your broth. You are going to bring it to a boil and then simmer it for a while so it should be fine. Let me know how it works out for you. – RG
Im making my 1st batch of Chicken soup using your recipe as my guide. Thanks so much for posting it. 🙂
Been throwing the carcasses away for years. They would just sit in the fridge for days. Glad I found this. Got one simmering right now!