Chicken stock is definitely among the most common elements in savory cooking – you frequently see it in recipes for soups, stews, sauces, and sometimes even for stir fries. Indeed, it is a versatile ingredient that will give a flavor boost to practically any savory dish. There are a few reasons homemade chicken stock is better than store-bought:
It contains way less sodium. Industrially produced chicken stock usually uses extra salt to enhance the flavor. It is healthier. Once the chicken stock cools off, you’ll notice it forms a gel-like texture. That is natural gelatin, which is very good for your skin. It’s fresher and more flavorful.
For those reasons, it’s a no-brainer to keep this simple recipe on file so that you can have rich, tasty homemade chicken stock at a moment’s (or hour’s) notice.
Why pressure cooker chicken stock
This recipe uses a pressure cooker to quickly and thoroughly transform a few pieces of chicken into a flavorful stock with very tender meat. Some benefits of this method:
It’s fast. Chicken stock in an unpressurized pot takes several hours to make, while this version just needs one hour at high pressure. It’s super simple. Just chicken, green onions, and ginger. The flavor profile lends itself well to Asian dishes, but the ginger is subtle enough that the stock will go well with any savory dish. You can use frozen chicken (see recipe here). No need to worry about thawing chicken and using it in time. Keep the chicken bones in your freezer (or let them accumulate there) until you’re ready to cook.
Once you have a pot of chicken stock, you can use it in an endless variety of dishes. Some of my favorites include:
Kimchi Stew, the ultimate comfort stew. It’s a little of spiciness, a little bit of sourness, and A LOT of savory deliciousness. Chicken stock elevates the whole dish to a level of heavenly brothy satisfaction. Da Lu Mian, a family recipe for the best sauce to ever be eaten on noodles. It has shrimp, pork, mushrooms, and tomatoes – the addition of chicken stock makes it a true umami bomb! Wonton Noodle Soup is a classic Cantonese staple. Springy noodles and shrimp-filled dumplings go perfectly in this chicken broth. Moo Goo Gai Pan – you’ve had the chicken and mushrooms countless times as takeout, but you don’t know what you’ve been missing until you cook it with homemade chicken stock.
More homemade stock recipes
Chinese chicken broth made with whole chicken Pressure cooker bone broth made with frozen bones Chinese pork stock Asian beef stock
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
