If you haven’t tried making Instant Pot chicken stock yet, you’ll want to now. This is easier and better than any stock I’ve made before. Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a few pennies if you click through and buy.
I use chicken stock all the time, whether it’s in soups or as a base for other foods from Thanksgiving stuffing to chicken pot pie and so much more. It never lasts long in my house, especially in winter when we’re eating more hot, comforting foods.
Whenever I cook a full chicken (or shhhhh pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store), I save the carcass to make my own chicken stock. I love getting the added value from it, and the flavor is rich and perfect.
I used to cook it on the stove, which took forever. The longer you simmer the bones, the more flavor they release.
Needless to say, I’d stick the carcass in a container in the fridge with my veggie scraps and start simmering in the morning. By late afternoon, I’d turn off the stove, but my husband had to put it away each time since I go to bed earlier than he does.
Hot stock in your fridge? Bad idea.
Introduce yourself to Instant Pot chicken stock.
First of all, this was done faster than I could believe. It also made less mess for a number of reasons.
I didn’t have to use a separate storage container overnight because the stock cooks so quickly. It’s way easier to clean the Instant Pot than it is my cast iron pot.
No bubbling messes on the stove, and it was easier to control as I poured it into the jars. Instant Pot chicken stock for the win!
When I finally started jarring it after letting it release naturally for an hour or so, I was amazed at the color.
I chose not to add any salt to mine, as I prefer to season my final dish. That said, the flavor was fantastic, and this is hands down the way I will make chicken stock forever more.
What vegetables do I need to make homemade chicken stock?
While I provide a recipe, chicken stock is flexible. I save up my veggie scraps as I cook in general.
Extra onion end or carrot peelings? Celery tops? Didn’t use all my parsnips or leeks before they got questionable? Any and all of that goes into a container in my freezer for the next time I make stock.
The only requirements I have are an onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cider vinegar. Outside that, include as much or as little as you have on hand, or skip it entirely if you have to.
That includes bulbs of garlic, fresh herbs like thyme, etc. They all add great flavor to your homemade stock.
Why the apple cider vinegar? Adding just a bit of apple cider vinegar helps extract more nutrients from the bones, and nope, you can’t taste it.
Need an idea for a soup to enjoy? Check out some of my favorites:
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Italian Meatball Soup
- Wisconsin Cheese Soup
- Chicken and dumplings
- Ramekin Tamales
- All my favorite soup recipes
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Remove the majority of the meat from your chicken, but the bones don’t need to be completely clean. You can include the skin, as well, though I tend to use only about half and simply toss the rest.
Place the chicken carcass in your Instant Pot liner. Add the vegetable scraps you saved. Cut a large onion into quarters and toss it in with bay leaves, whole peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar. Add water to a half inch below the max fill line.
Seal your Instant Pot and ensure the vent is closed. Turn the pot to soup, and set the time for 120 minutes.
Once cooked, let the Instant Pot release naturally. Do not turn the vent and allow steam to escape. There is too much liquid, and it will spray out. Wait at least a half hour for the pressure to fully release, longer works.
After you open the Instant Pot, strain out everything aside from the stock with a spider; it’s large enough to capture big pieces but flexible enough to get the bits at the bottom. Dispose of everything you remove from the pot.
Set a large funnel over quart size mason jars. You’ll need four quart size jars. If you plan to freeze this, use a fifth jar to ensure you have room for the stock to expand. Using a ladle, deposit stock into jars, one at a time. Near the end, remove the liner from your Instant Pot and carefully pour it into the last jar via the funnel.
Cool jars fully before you place them into the fridge (or freezer). It’s cold now, so I place mine outside for a couple hours to cool, being careful not to let them freeze. Be sure to use or freeze the stock in 3 days.
Have you ever tried Instant Pot chicken stock? What’s your secret?
Looking for more great Instant Pot recipes? Check out some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:
- Wisconsin cheese soup (stovetop recipe also available)
- Spanish rice (one of my most popular recipes!)
- Creamy chickpea tomato soup (with adaptation to make on stovetop)
- Easy peasy tomato soup
- Corn chowder
- Updated (healthier) honey bourbon chicken
- Chicken curry
- Mashed Potatoes
- Pulled pork
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Lentil Soup
- French onion soup
Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 chicken carcass
- 1 onion cut into quarters
- 2 bay leaves
- 10-15 whole peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Veggie scraps optional
- Water
Instructions
- Add chicken carcass to Instant Pot liner. Feel free to include skin if you choose. Add onion, veggie scraps (save scraps as you cook and add them to a container in the freezer to use when you make stock), bay leaves, peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar.1 chicken carcass, 1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 10-15 whole peppercorns, Veggie scraps, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Fill the liner with water to a half inch below the max fill line.Water
- Seal the Instant Pot, being sure the vent is closed. Set to soup for 120 minutes.
- Once stock has finished cooking, let release naturally. Do not release the vent for at least a half hour.
- Strain out all but stock from the liner and discard. Place a funnel over a mason jar. Add stock to four jars, being careful not to overfill. Use five jars if you plan to freeze. Let cool then place in fridge. Use or freeze within 3 days.
Notes
- Adding just a bit of apple cider vinegar helps extract more nutrients from the bones, and nope, you can’t taste it
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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Love this– trying for sure. I used my ‘outdoor freezer’ too at Christmas– I made chocolate candy cane bark and the baking sheet was too big for the freezer, so I stuck it outside too! Might as well use all that snow for something right? Thanks for sharing– an Instant Pot is on my wish list!
I’ve always made caramel corn for Christmas, and when I lived in North Idaho I would lay the baking sheets on the snow. They cooled so fast I could stand and enjoy the scenery for a couple of minutes, then back inside. The holiday was extra special with the snow.
There are so many memories I have associated with food – and clearly I’m not alone. That sounds so fun for you! And yummmmm caramel corn.
The outdoor freezer is the best. I did the same thing for some toffee I made last week, too! (Note to self: you MUST let it come back to room temperature before breaking into pieces or the chocolate will separate). I love my Instant Pot!