Crockpot Chicken Bone Broth Recipe (Homemade Stock)

Make your own Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth with this simple, nourishing recipe! Toss in a few ingredients, let it cook on low for 24 hours, and enjoy a rich, flavorful broth that’s perfect for sipping or adding to your favorite meals. 

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Making your own homemade chicken stock is SO EASY!  And it uses food that you would ordinarily throw away in the garbage.  Any time you make a roast chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken from the store, save all of those carcasses!  Same with chicken drumstick and chicken thigh bones.  

Place them all into a large freezer bag, along with any veggie scraps.  Once that freezer bag is full, it’s time to make homemade chicken broth!

Not only is it simple to make, but it’s also good for the immune system and your gut health as well. Plus, it’s pretty much free to make!  Let’s get cooking!

The Players for Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth

Ingredients:

• Chicken – To make this homemade bone broth, you’ll need the carcass of a whole chicken.  You can get that from either a roasted chicken or a rotisserie chicken. Or if you have leftover chicken bones from a dinner like this Chipotle Chicken Asado Recipe. save the bones and place them into a gallon-sized bag that is kept in the freezer. You can also use raw bones as well!  
• Vegetables – Adding vegetables to this slow cooker chicken bone broth adds so much flavor! I keep any vegetable scraps like the ends of onions, shallots, garlic, celery stalks, leeks, and carrots in the same freezer bag as the leftover bones. To find out which vegetables to not use in this delicious chicken bone broth, scroll down to above the printable recipe card.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – You’ll need just a few tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar (you can use regular vinegar too!).  The vinegar combined with the slow cooking, helps draw out the collagen from the bones.
• Herbs – I like to keep my batch of bone broth simple, so I’ll throw in a bay leaf or two. But if you want something more fragrant, you can use fresh herbs and make a ‘bouquet garni’ to throw into the crock pot. Use herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, and/or sage and tie it off with some kitchen twine.
• Salt and Pepper – For this homemade chicken bone broth recipe, I use very minimal amounts of salt and pepper.  I prefer to keep it very basic as I use this great bone broth into other dishes that contain salt, but feel free to use as much as you’d like!
• Water – You’ll need at least 14 cups of filtered water to make this slow cooker recipe.

Tools:

• Crockpot – I love my Hamilton Beach 6-quart Slow Cooker to make this broth in, along with a family favorite; my 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Dinner.
• Freezer Bags – To hold the animal bones and veggie scraps, you’ll need a freezer bag. I always keep a gallon freezer bag in my freezer so that I can toss scraps and bones into the bag as I cook.  And once the bag is full, it’s time to make broth! You can also use the bags to freeze the broth in if you’d like.
• Silicone Molds – Because this crockpot bone broth recipe makes 10 cups of bone broth, I usually won’t be able to use it all up at once.  These silicone molds are the best! They come in 1-cup molds, which is a perfect serving size.  Once the broth has frozen, you’re able to pop the broth out and move the frozen cubes to a freezer bag.  
• Strainer – A fine mesh strainer is essential when making homemade bone broth because it helps remove small bits of bone and vegetable bits.
• Cheesecloth – Using cheesecloth for homemade bone broth is optional but can be very helpful if you want an extra clear, free of bits, broth. The best thing about cheesecloth is that you can wash and reuse the cheesecloth multiple times!

How to make Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth Recipe

Roast the Chicken Bones

The first step to making a delicious, savory bone broth, is to roast the bones. Roasting the bones in the oven brings a deeper depth of flavor.  Roasting the chicken bones caramelizes the bones and brings a more savory flavor to the broth.  

Feel free to skip this step if you prefer. If you’re skipping the roasting step, you can throw all the frozen chicken carcasses and bones and frozen vegetables right into your crock pot!

Place only the thawed chicken bones on a sheet pan and roast in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.  

Make the Bone Broth

Once the bones have roasted, place the bones into your crockpot along with the vegetable scraps, apple cider vinegar, and herbs, and fill your crockpot with enough water to fill it to the top.  I have a 6-quart crockpot and can fit 14 cups of water. 

Place the lid onto the slow cooker, and program it for 12 hours on the Low setting. Keep in mind, you will have to reset the crockpot once 12 hours pass since most slow cookers only go up to 20 hours.  

Try not to open the lid too often if you can, as this can affect the cooking process.

Strain the Bone Broth

Once 24 hours has passed, remove all of the bones and vegetables from the crockpot. 

Carefully strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.  For extra clear and clean stock, place a cheesecloth underneath the strainer to ensure there are no particles slipping through the strainer.

Pour the homemade bone broth into your container of choice and allow it to cool before placing it into the fridge or freezer. 

Storage, Freezing, and Thawing Instructions

To store homemade bone broth, place the broth into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge.  Homemade broth can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To freeze, ​place the bone broth into freezer-safe containers.  Your homemade bone broth will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To thaw,  transfer the frozen broth to the fridge overnight or reheat it directly from frozen in the microwave or on the stove top for a couple of minutes.

Is Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth Good For You?

Yes!  Chicken Bone Broth is healthy for several reasons:

• 1) Nutritious – Bone Broth contains vitamins and minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are essential for immune support and good bone health. 
• 2) Collagen-dense – When the chicken bones are broken down, especially when it’s cooked low and slow like in the crock pot, collagen is released from the bones.  Collagen is great for your hair, skin, nails, and joint health!
• 3) Gelatin – Gelatin is found in connective tissue in bones, and Gelatin is great for your digestion!  The most gelatin is found in the joint bones like chicken feet and chicken wings.
• 4) Hydrating – Not only is bone broth super tasty, but it nourishes the body by providing much-needed electrolytes.
• 5) Protein – Making your own bone broth contains a good amount of protein, which can help in muscle repair.

How to Freeze Bone Broth

As mentioned above, homemade bone broth can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. You can use freezer-safe containers (glass or plastic), freezer gallon bags (laid down flat in the freezer for easier storage), or Mason jars.  

Just be sure to leave an inch or so of space to allow for the liquid to expand.  Also, don’t completely tighten the lid.  Leave it loose at first, then after 24 hours, tighten it completely. You can also freeze the broth in smaller portions or ice cube trays for easier use in recipes.

Which Vegetables Should I Not Use for Bone Broth?

Here are the vegetables to avoid in a homemade crock pot chicken bone broth recipe, as they can negatively affect the texture and/or flavor:

• Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, and Cabbage – these cruciferous veggies can release a very strong flavor, that can make the broth bitter. 
• Potatoes – Potatoes and potato peels can make the broth cloudy and thick, rather than clear and smooth.
• Turnips, Butternut Squash, and Rutabags –  These vegetables have a strong, earthy flavor that may overpower the broth.
• Beets and Purple Cabbage – Dark-colored vegetables can turn your broth pink or red, resulting in a less desired broth color.
• Zucchini, Cucumbers, and Squash – These can become mushy and break down too much during the long cooking process.
• Peppers – ​Vegetables like jalapenos and bell peppers can make the broth extremely bitter.

Recipe Ideas for Homemade Bone Broth

Here are some easy recipes that you can use your Crock Pot Chicken Bone Broth in:

• The Best Stovetop Lentil and Bean Soup
• Instant Pot Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
• Creamy Cajun Shrimp Sauce Recipe
• Panera’s Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Easy TikTok Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Roseanne’s Inspired Loose Meat Tavern Sandwiches
• Isaac’s Pepperjack Tomato Soup Recipe
• Easy Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
• Creamy Chicken and Herby Potato Skillet
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

Pin it for Later!

If you end up making this Crockpot Chicken Bone Broth Recipe, leave me a comment.  I’d love to chat with you!

Looking for easy dinner ideas?  Check out these recipes next!

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Bake (Easy Casserole Recipe)
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• Easy Oven Baked One Pan Chicken Parmesan Recipe
• Cheesy One Pot Pizza Pasta Recipe
• Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas
• The Best Baked Fish Tacos with Crispy Broccoli Slaw
• ALDI Copycat Chick Fil-A Chicken Sandwich
• Easy Shrimp Scampi with Linguine Recipe
• Oven-Fried Italian Chicken Drumsticks
• Classic Meatloaf with Ground Beef (and Ketchup Glaze!)

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John 3:30 - "He must become greater; I must become less."