How To Make Chicken Broth with Water – Instant Pot Recipe

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The healthiest and most flavorful chicken broth is 100% homemade. There is such value in knowing exactly what is in your food! Today we will look at how to make chicken broth with water in your instant pot. 

I started making my own chicken broth pretty soon after I got married and I have never had to buy it from the store! I only cook with filtered water, free range chickens, and organic vegetables. The reason I choose those ingredients is because they are the most natural and closely aligned with the way God created them to be. 

Why should I make my own chicken broth? 

• You control the ingredients – the sodium level, the preservatives, the additives, all of the ingredients are in your control 
• The nourishing benefits are amazing – homemade chicken broth is rich in collagen, magnesium, protein, iron, etc. Consuming chicken broth has been known to help create smoother skin, help digestion, and build a strong immune system. Who wouldn’t want all of these benefits? 
• You save money – cooking chicken broth with a whole chicken serves a dual purpose. For starters this chicken broth with water recipe gives you roughly 1.5 gallons of broth. Secondly, you’re left with a whole chicken up that can be used for up to 2 meals. After everything is said and done, you have loads of broth and shredded chicken all for the price of one chicken. 

What tools will I need?

• Instant Pot
• Tongs
• Scissors 
• Large plate or bowl 

Ingredients 

A whole chicken

When I can’t get a whole chicken from my local farm I buy Azure Standard Whole Organic Chicken. Making food from scratch is a great skill to learn but I would argue that learning how to use healthy ingredients to make food from scratch is just as important! 

Using a whole chicken gives you the benefit of the nutrients in the meat and the bones. You will get all the goody that bird has to offer. If the whole chicken comes with the giblets you can throw those in as well and just throw them away after you’ve made the broth if you do not want to eat them.   

Filtered Water 

You can use whatever water you have access to. We use a Berkey to filter our water so we aren’t drinking water that tastes like straight up chlorine. Filtered water is best but you can use whatever you have access to. 

Vegetables

Slight confession here, I actually don’t put vegetables in my broth. It does give it more flavor and probably some extra nutrients from the veggies but chicken is the main source of nutrition so if you skip the veggies too, I won’t tell. Common veggies used in broth are carrots, onions, celery and garlic. 

CHECK OUT HOW TO FIND LOCAL VEGETABLES IN YOUR AREA IN MY POST “HOW TO FIND LOCAL FARMERS IN YOUR AREA”

How to make the chicken broth with water 

Begin by filling your instant pot (I use an 8Q pot) up halfway with water. 

Cut the wrapper off of the chicken, take giblets out of the plastic bag if applicable, and place the whole chicken in the instant pot. 

Add salt and vegetables to the instant pot 

Turn the instant pot on “pressure cook” for 1 to 3 hrs depending on how much time you have. 

Once the instant pot is done, release the remaining pressure.

Remove the chicken from the instant pot and allow the broth to cool. 

Once broth has cooled use for a meal or pour into jars and store in fridge or freezer. 

Shred chicken into a large container and use for dinner or save for later meals. 

FAQ

What size instant pot do I need? 

A 3-4 lbs whole chicken will fit in a 6 quart instant pot. Anything bigger than that I would recommend an 8 quart. I have an 8 quart and I love it! 

Is chicken stock different from chicken broth? 

Usually, yes. Chicken stock is made with only chicken bones. Chicken broth is typically made with the chicken meat and bones. In recipes you can use the two interchangeably but the terms indicate how the broth/stock was prepared. It is said that broth is richer in nutrients and better for the gut microbiome. 

What would I use chicken broth for? 

Oh my goodness, literally, everything! I use chicken broth in place of water. The most common way I regularly use broth is when making rice. Replace the water with broth using a 1:1 ratio. Other things you can use broth in are gravy, grits, soups, and just drinking a cup of it in a mug. 

How long does the instant pot take to pressurize? 

There are many variables to this question. Liquid in an instant pot can take a while to pressurize and if the chicken is partially frozen that will affect the time as well. I usually budget about 1 hour for the instant pot to pressurize when I am making chicken broth with water. 

What if I have a frozen chicken? 

Pull the chicken out of the freezer the day before and set it in the fridge to start thawing out. The chicken does not have to be totally thawed to use it! The only reason I thaw mine all the way is so that I can pull out the giblet bag. I do not want that bag cooking in my pot! A frozen chicken will give you the same results as a fresh one. Don’t sweat it!

Comment below and let me know how your broth turned out!