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.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
How big is your instant pot?
Mine is the 6 quart Lux version. You don’t need the 8 quart to make this stock!
I cooked my stock recipe following exactly this recipe for 2 hours and there was no liquid left. I’m confused
Liquid doesn’t evaporate from your Instant Pot when it’s cooking at pressure (the pressure holds in all the contents, including steam). Check to make sure your pressure valve is closed and sealed. If you have it open, this won’t work. Good luck!
I made homemade stock for the first time today using your recipe. Yay me! It was so easy with the Instant Pot. I have a question, though. It looks and smells great but it tastes kind of bland. Is that normal or should it be very flavorful? I followed your instructions exactly and even added in some carrots, celery and thyme. I guess I was assuming it would taste more like store bought broth which I don’t particularly like. So I’m not complaining. I just want to make sure I did it right.
I tend to not add much salt, etc to this because I know that I’ll use it later and want to flavor it when I use it in that recipe. You can cook it down more to concentrate the flavor if you like or add additional spices to it. I don’t want it to be too strong when I make it – that’s how it’s supposed to be – so that I don’t overpower any dishes I use it in later. The vinegar helps pull all the nutrition, etc from the bones, which is what you’re looking for. In fact, I generally get enough that when my broth cools, it actually gels – and that’s your real ideal. You did it right though 🙂
Well I’m hooked now! Everything I used it in turned out so much better, especially chicken noodle soup. It really took it to the next level. Thank you! One more question. Do you skim the fat off the top or leave it? I’ve read about people doing both so I’m not sure what to do.
That’s fantastic – I’m so glad to hear it. I skim it off only if there is a ton of it. The fat adds flavor, and I often cook things that don’t add a ton of other fat in them. If there’s just a little bit – I did a good job eating all the chicken and removing all the skin before I made the stock – I don’t skim it. It’s really a personal preference.