I’m almost embarrassed by the title of this recipe because it belies simplicity. But this chicken bone broth is anything but basic.
How about a story?
Just before I moved to Ann Arbor, I attended a book launch signing of Marcus Samuelson’s Red Rooster Cookbook. I actually had no intention of buying it- I had (and still have) enough cookbooks but I like Marcus from watching him on Top Chef and I wanted to hear what he had to say.
As I paged through the cookbook, I came upon his recipe for bird broth. Now, at the time, “bone broth” was all the rage, and some Chicago outlets had the nerve to charge like…$12 for 8 ounces of liquid. I knew my grandmother (and probably yours too) was rolling over in her grave to think that a dish that was such a staple for generations and could be made with literal scraps was being upcharged to such a degree.
Anyway, I initially scoffed at this addition to the cookbook until I read the recipe.
This was anything but a basic recipe for bone broth. Instead it was filled with additions of umami and heat that admittedly put my grandma’s truly basic recipe a little bit to shame. It’s been on my to-make list since.
Flash forward to last week when I was “fake sick” from my COVID booster and it dawned on me that cold and flu and COVID season is still not over and we can all likely use to have a good bone broth recipe in our back pockets. Now was the time. Better late than never.
What ingredients to I need to make chicken bone broth?
- chicken bones! You can certainly use whole chicken parts but I went to the Asian grocery and got a few pounds of chicken feet. They are the perfect base for bone broth because they use up bits that would otherwise go to waste, and results in the most deliciously collagen-y broth.
- red onions, a twist from traditional yellow oniones
- garlic cloves
- jalapeno, for spiciness
- carrot & thyme, for the basic flavors
- white miso & shrimp powder, for the unbasic flavors
- white wine and sherry vinegar for extra
- kelp or nori
As I mentioned, a lot of these things can be found at your local Asian supermarket. They really are treasure troves – don’t pass them by.
What do I do with this broth?
I’m giving you the recipe purely for the broth, which is the whole point of this post. But, I wasn’t about to just show you a bowl of liquid, so I’m giving you a serving suggestions for what to do with it.
- drink it by itself! Doing so is still all the rage. Get that protein.
- make a ramen! I’ve added in some noodles, bok choy, green onions, medium boiled eggs and leftover rotisserie chicken – and that’s what you’re seeing here.
Soup’s On!
Chicken Bone Broth
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 TB grapeseed oil or olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken parts (I used chicken feet)
- 2 red onion, sliced (approx 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 jalapeno seeds and stem removed
- 1 carrot sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups water
- 1 TB white miso
- 1 tsp shrimp powder
- 1 3" piece kelp or nori
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- To the bowl of a slow cooker, add all the ingredients except the vinegar.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours until the chicken has cooked all the way through and the vegetables are super soft.
- Strain the broth and discard the solids. Add the vinegar and additional salt to taste.
